SINGAPORE, Jan. 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sound Group Inc. ("Sound Group" or the "Company") (NASDAQ:SOGP), a global AI-powered audio company, today issued a letter to shareholders from its Founder and CEO, Mr. Marco Lai.

Dear Shareholders,

As we step into 2026, Sound Group celebrates the sixth anniversary of its public listing. Over the past six years, we have navigated an environment defined by continuous change. Markets have fluctuated, industry landscapes have evolved, and new technologies have emerged. Yet some things have remained unchanged — our understanding of the value of voice, our judgement on strategic direction, and our commitment to thinking and acting for the long term.

Since our founding in 2013, we have evolved from an audio content community to a real-time voice interaction platform, and now, to a company deeply engaged in voice applications in the AI era. Throughout this journey, we have been guided by a single, central question: how can voice better connect people to each other, and connect people to the world?

Voice: Where Our Story Begins

Looking back, many approaches that are now widely adopted across the industry originated from our early explorations into the very essence of voice.

From our origins in recorded audio, we redefined mobile audio livestreaming and pioneered real-time, multi-user voice interaction — making voice both a carrier of content and a bridge for social connection.

Voice is a uniquely intimate medium. It carries the raw texture of emotion and the power to build trust, yet by its very nature, it leaves space for the imagination to flourish. This "space" is not only an auditory aesthetic, but the foundation of our product philosophy. Knowing this, we invested early and consistently in voice-related technologies, aspiring for voice to not only be heard, but understood, created, and amplified.

AI: Opportunities for Emerging Businesses, a Growth Engine for Established Ones

With the rapid evolution of AI, voice is undergoing a fundamental transformation, and with that comes a new world of possibility.

In fact, Sound Group began integrating technology and voice at an early stage — from intelligent content recommendation and personalized audio content distribution to sustained investment in automatic speech recognition (ASR), text-to-speech (TTS), and real-time voice interaction in recent years. For us, AI is not an external tool, but a core component deeply embedded in our product design, technical architecture, and operational systems.

We clearly recognize that AI is the most critical variable of this era. If we do not actively embrace change, any existing advantage can quickly fade to silence. This is why the deep integration of voice and AI is both our strategic choice and what drives our next phase of growth.

Foundation Strengthened, Performance Amplified

Over the past two years, we have systematically strengthened the foundations of our online audio ecosystem, including creator systems, content creation mechanisms, operational tools, and the overall commercial frameworks. Now, AI acts as a vital conductor, enhancing critical processes like content innovation, product operations, and targeted user acquisition, laying a solid foundation for sustainable growth.

At the same time, our AI application business has steadily expanded its global footprint. Leveraging years of accumulated audio technology expertise, we have incubated and launched AI-native products for users worldwide, covering high-frequency scenarios such as meeting transcription and real-time translation. In the first half of 2025, this business started generating revenue and has been growing steadily.

Sound Group's revenue increased by 47% year-over-year in the first half of 2025, and we returned to a profitable trajectory. While improving the quality of operations, we also continued to reward shareholders through share repurchases and cash dividends.

New Mission, New Journey

In October 2025, as we celebrated our 12th anniversary, we announced our renewed mission and vision: to be the world's leading AI-powered audio company, helping people connect better and live happier.

This evolution represents a crystallization of our purpose in the age of AI.

As AI technology matures, voice begins to transcend its role as a medium for content and communication. It is becoming a powerful catalyst for a more connected world. We believe that the integration of AI and voice will make people's work and life more efficient, convenient, and enriching.

Spotlight on Our Technology

As we move into 2026, we aim to continue enhancing our technological capabilities, particularly by exploring new possibilities in voice AI applications.

In early January, we officially launched the SoundSphereAI platform, showcasing Sound Group's core technological achievements in voice AI. The platform integrates speech recognition, speech synthesis, and AI voice-changing modules. This platform offers a clear window into our technical capabilities and laying the groundwork for future technology integration and ecosystem collaboration.

In parallel, we have redesigned the Sound Group official website to more clearly present our business structure, technology system, and milestones. This is not only an improvement to how we tell our story; it reflects a deeper commitment to transparency and clear strategic positioning as we enter into the next phase of growth.

Looking Ahead: The "Technology × Product × Data" Growth Flywheel

Standing where we are today, we are more certain than ever that in the era of AI, voice will be one of humanity's most vital interfaces.

Voice is evolving from companionship and expression into a more adaptable and action-oriented interface — from being heard, to being understood, and now, to becoming a catalyst for outcomes. When voice deeply integrates with AI, communication is no longer just an information exchange, but becomes the starting point for action, creation, and new ways of navigating daily life.

Looking ahead, Sound Group will remain focused on realizing the power of voice and deepening AI capabilities to apply them in tangible, high-frequency, and scalable usage scenarios. As for our online audio business, we will further leverage AI to optimize the ecosystem and operational efficiency. In terms of our AI application business, we will continue refining products based on user insights, driving rapid iteration and commercialization validation, and promoting scalable growth through an expanding AI product portfolio.

We believe that sustainable growth comes from a virtuous cycle of technology, product, and data. Technological innovation enhances product capabilities. Superior products attract users and accumulate data. This data, in turn, fuels the continued evolution of technology. Guided by this growth flywheel, we will continue our global expansion with a long-term mindset. We will remain fully committed to building bridges between technology and real human needs, enabling voice AI to truly serve human communication, creativity, and everyday life.

Thank you for your long-standing trust and support. It is this trust that allows us to stay true to our vision and keep moving forward in an otherwise rapidly changing environment. We look forward to entering Sound Group's next chapter together with you.

Sincerely,

Marco Lai

Founder & CEO of Sound Group Inc.

About Sound Group Inc.

Sound Group Inc. is a global, AI-powered audio company on a mission to help people connect better and live happier. Leveraging its voice AI technologies and deep expertise in audio interaction, Sound Group is building a diverse ecosystem of intelligent audio products that cater to a global user base. By integrating technology, innovative products, and real-world data within a user-centric ecosystem, the Company generates a powerful growth flywheel that is driving continuous innovation and accelerating global expansion. Sound Group Inc. has been listed on Nasdaq since January 2020.

For more information, please visit: https://soundgroupinc.com/ and https://ir.soundgroupinc.com/.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and a number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: the Company's goals and strategies; the Company's future business development, results of operations and financial condition; the expected growth of the online audio market; the expectation regarding the rate at which to gain active users, especially paying users; the Company's ability to monetize the user base; fluctuations in general economic and business conditions in China and overseas markets; the economy in China and elsewhere generally; any adverse changes in laws, regulations, rules, policies or guidelines applicable to the Company; and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as "may," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "target," "aim," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "potential," "continue," "is/are likely to" or other similar expressions. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties or factors is included in the Company's filings with the Securities Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake any duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

Sound Group Inc.

IR Department

E-mail: ir@soundgroupinc.com

Sound Group Inc. Issues Letter to Shareholders