GM gives OnStar an AI assistant and plans a single new app
General Motors is adding an AI assistant to OnStar that drivers can wake by saying "Hey OnStar." It will first come to the 2027 Cadillac Lyriq through a software update in the coming months. A new OnStar app is set to replace GM's brand apps in 2027.
General Motors is adding a personal AI assistant to OnStar, its connected car service, TechCrunch and The Verge reported. The company made the news Wednesday at its GM Forward event in New York.
The OnStar AI Assistant is set to debut on the 2027 Cadillac Lyriq electric SUV in the coming months, TechCrunch reported. It would arrive through an over-the-air software update. More GM vehicles would follow.
Drivers would start it by saying "Hey OnStar," The Verge reported. They could then ask it to change the cabin temperature or open the glove box or charge port. They could also check tire pressure and battery health. GM said the assistant can also explain warning lights on the dashboard. It can explain features for a driver's exact model, too.
TechCrunch reported that the assistant is an in-house GM effort. GM had earlier relied on Google for AI in its cars. It said last year that Google Gemini would roll out in vehicles in 2026. The Verge said that, unlike Gemini, the new assistant can control physical parts of the car and run hardware checks.
"OnStar is now transitioning to be a connected intelligence platform, not just the call center that it's historically been known as," GM chief product officer Sterling Anderson said in an interview with TechCrunch.
GM also plans to launch a new OnStar mobile app in 2027, TechCrunch reported. It would replace the current OnStar Guardian app. It would also replace the separate apps for Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC. A camera feature would record events, such as an aggressive horn honk, and upload the clip to the app.
GM said customers would decide what data is shared. It said recordings have time limits and are encrypted. The company said it cannot access the camera recordings. TechCrunch noted a Federal Trade Commission order finalized earlier this year. It bans GM and OnStar from sharing some consumer data with consumer reporting agencies.
OnStar launched 30 years ago, TechCrunch reported.
What we know: GM plans to bring an OnStar AI assistant to the 2027 Lyriq first, and a new OnStar app in 2027.
What we don't: Exact release dates, and whether the assistant will cost extra.
Where outlets agree TechCrunch and The Verge both report that the OnStar AI Assistant will debut on the 2027 Cadillac Lyriq through an over-the-air update before reaching other GM models.
Where they differ The cited reports agree on the key facts so far.