New York, January 11, 2026, 19:29 EST — Market closed
- SoundHound AI shares climbed 6.6% on Friday, closing at $11.75
- The company stayed in the spotlight with its CES 2026 demos and a new partnership with TomTom, highlighting in-car voice assistants
- Investors are turning to upcoming inflation figures and the next earnings report for cues.
SoundHound AI (SOUN.O) shares climbed 6.6% to close at $11.75 on Friday, with trading volume topping 39 million shares, data from Zacks showed. (Zacks)
The surge happened as Wall Street hit new highs Friday despite a mixed U.S. jobs report, fueling risk appetite for smaller, high-beta growth stocks. (AP News)
That’s crucial for SoundHound at the moment, given how the stock behaves more like a sentiment barometer than a steady software play. When risk appetite picks up, it jumps quickly. But when it wanes, the sell-off can be even sharper.
SoundHound stayed in the spotlight last week with a CES-branded product announcement. On Jan. 5, the company revealed plans to showcase “agentic” voice commerce — software designed to perform actions, not just respond to queries — alongside a live demo of a new “Vision AI” feature for cars. CEO and co-founder Keyvan Mohajer said voice-driven commerce is set to transform how businesses connect with customers. (SoundHound AI)
Just a day later, TomTom and SoundHound announced plans to unveil a joint in-car voice and navigation system at CES 2026. Matt Anderson, SoundHound’s senior director for automotive, said their goal is to make driving “more intuitive and truly voice-enabled.” (GlobeNewswire)
The pitch is simple: drivers talk naturally, and a voice layer directs their requests to the appropriate service — whether it’s navigation, reservations, or parking payments — all without switching screens. It’s a busy space, and expectations are steep.
Larger tech platforms are targeting the dashboard as well. Automakers face choices, ranging from developing their own systems to partnering with suppliers and software companies aiming to control the voice interface—among them, niche players like Cerence.
Short interest may keep the stock volatile. By Dec. 15, some 116.8 million SoundHound shares were sold short, representing about 30.6% of the public float, according to MarketBeat data — a level that could intensify both rallies and selloffs. (MarketBeat)
Traders will be watching Monday’s session closely to see if Friday’s momentum holds up or fades as liquidity comes back and the market processes a packed week of earnings and macro news.
The downside scenario is clear enough. Fresh demos and new partnerships don’t guarantee revenue, and any misstep can hit a stock priced on expectations fast. If rates spike or risk appetite falters, it’s usually the higher-volatility names that get hit hardest.
The macro calendar is tight enough to be worth watching. The U.S. consumer price index for December drops Tuesday, Jan. 13 at 8:30 a.m. ET. This release has the potential to shake up bond yields and, in turn, impact richly valued growth stocks. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
SoundHound’s upcoming milestone is its quarterly earnings report. While the market expects this to land on Feb. 26, the company hasn’t officially announced a date on its website. (Investing)
