San Francisco, May 9 (IANS): Google and several organisations in healthcare service delivery and research technology are working together to develop personalised hearing aids using artificial intelligence (AI).

The project was first announced earlier this year and involves Australia-based medical device company Cochlear, Macquarie University Hearing Hub members (NAL), Shepherd Centre, and US-based startup NextSense, reports Fox Business.

Google has stated that it intends to create hearing aids that use AI to address individual listening needs.

Such technology, according to the tech giant, will be especially useful for those who rely on hearing aids in noisy environments such as restaurants, live performances, or public transportation.

"With our partners, we look forward to building on this work and designing tools with and for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Because as long as there are barriers, we will have work to do," Google was quoted as saying.

Moreover, the report said that it will be easier for people who use hearing aids to follow conversations with AI, as they will be able to distinguish sound sources, such as people talking, more easily.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are more than 1.5 billion people now living with hearing loss -- and that number could increase to more than 2.5 billion by 2050.

The CDC estimates that the total annual cost of untreated hearing loss worldwide is $980.