As has been made increasingly clear, artificial intelligence is steadily making its way into wireless earbuds—whether consumers are eager for it or not—and Apple’s AirPods may soon be next in line. According to leaked code discovered in an iPhone prototype running an early version of iOS 26, AirPods could receive a substantial infusion of Apple Intelligence features as early as spring 2026.
As reported by MacRumors, the leaked code references several upcoming capabilities tied to Apple Intelligence. One of the most notable is Visual Look Up, an existing feature that uses AI-powered computer vision to identify objects, landmarks, animals, text, and more when you point your iPhone’s camera at them or view photos stored on your device. Until now, Visual Look Up has primarily lived within apps like Safari, Photos, and the Camera, and it closely resembles similar features found on Google Pixel phones or AI-enabled wearables such as the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses.
The big question, however, is what Visual Look Up might mean in the context of AirPods. At a minimum, it could signal deeper integration between AirPods and your iPhone’s visual intelligence features. But it also raises a more intriguing possibility: could Apple be laying the groundwork for AirPods equipped with cameras, enabling more direct, real-time visual awareness?
Another feature mentioned in the leaked code is Contextual Reminders, which is also powered by Apple Intelligence. This feature uses AI and contextual data—such as your location or activity—to surface reminders at the most relevant moment. In theory, this could allow users to say things like, “Remind me to buy milk when I’m at the grocery store,” or “Remind me to stretch when I get to the gym.” With AirPods in your ears, such reminders could be delivered discreetly and hands-free, without requiring you to check your phone.
Perhaps the most cryptic reference uncovered by MacRumors is something labeled “ConversationBreakthroughVQA.” This may be related to Apple’s existing Intelligent Breakthrough feature, which uses AI to determine when it’s appropriate to override Focus modes or Do Not Disturb settings in order to deliver urgent notifications. While the name doesn’t match exactly, it could simply be an internal designation—or it might represent a more advanced version of the feature designed specifically for AirPods.
The inclusion of “VQA” at the end of the term is especially intriguing. VQA typically stands for visual question answering, a computer vision technique that allows AI systems to interpret visual data and answer questions about what they “see.” Combined with the references to Visual Look Up, this has fueled speculation that Apple may indeed be exploring AirPods with built-in cameras—a rumor that has been circulating for some time. If true, these features could enable AirPods to better understand a user’s surroundings and decide when, or how, to interrupt them with important information.
Not all of the leaked code points directly to AI features. There is also a reference to “precise outdoor location understanding,” which suggests improvements to AirPods’ location tracking capabilities. While newer models—such as the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods Max—already support Precision Finding, their effective range is relatively limited. For example, AirPods Pro 2 can typically be located within about 30 to 60 feet, while AirPods Pro 3 extend that range to roughly 200 feet thanks to Apple’s U2 Ultra Wideband chip, which is built into the charging case rather than the earbuds themselves.
It remains unclear whether Apple plans to extend that tracking range further or simply improve accuracy within the existing limits. Either way, enhancements to precision location tracking could make losing your AirPods far less painful.
Of course, leaked code can only reveal so much, and many of these interpretations remain speculative. Still, if these references are accurate, Apple may be preparing some of the most significant AirPods upgrades yet—and if the timeline holds, we may not have to wait long to see how deeply Apple Intelligence reshapes the future of Apple’s most popular audio accessories.