GM AI assistant is set to launch later this year
GM plans a native in-vehicle AI assistant that can use OnStar and vehicle data for maintenance, settings and other car-specific features.
By Jordan Bell · Startups & Deals Reporter
· 3 min read
General Motors plans to launch a GM AI assistant in its vehicles later this year, CNBC reported, adding another layer to the auto industry’s push to turn software into a bigger part of car ownership. For investors, the move shows GM trying to make its vehicles feel more like connected devices, with services and data playing a larger role after the sale.
Anna Santos, GM’s director of product management for voice and AI/machine learning, told CNBC the upcoming assistant will be built more closely into GM vehicles than the Google Gemini assistant the company has already started offering in some models.
The system has not been publicly named. Santos told CNBC it will combine conversational AI with GM’s own vehicle knowledge and OnStar intelligence, giving it abilities that go beyond a general digital assistant. OnStar is GM’s connected-car service, used for features such as safety, security and vehicle support.
What will the GM AI assistant do?
GM’s goal is to create an assistant that can understand the car, the trip and the owner’s needs, Santos told CNBC. That could mean features tied directly to the vehicle, including predictive maintenance, vehicle telemetry and more car-specific controls.
Predictive maintenance means using vehicle data to flag possible service needs before a problem becomes obvious to the driver. Telematics refers to information collected from the car, such as operating data and connected-service signals, that can help power vehicle features or support.
CNBC reported that GM is working with an unnamed large language model provider on the technology. A large language model is the type of AI system that can interpret and generate natural language, allowing a user to speak in a conversational way rather than follow a strict command script.
One example under consideration, according to CNBC, is a “kids setting” command. Such a feature could adjust music, seat settings, climate controls and door locks for children in the vehicle.
How is it different from Google Gemini in GM cars?
GM has already begun rolling out Google’s Gemini assistant in eligible 2022 model-year and newer Cadillac, Chevrolet, Buick and GMC vehicles in the U.S. that have Google Built-in, CNBC reported. Gemini lets drivers speak more naturally without memorizing set phrases, and it can handle some vehicle controls such as temperature and radio settings.
Gemini is also starting to support live sessions, CNBC reported, allowing more back-and-forth conversations and activities such as trivia or 20 questions. Santos described that rollout as an early step in GM’s broader AI plans, while saying there are limits to what an assistant can do if it is layered on top of the vehicle rather than tied more closely to its systems.
The native GM assistant is expected to use proprietary GM data, Santos told CNBC. She said the company’s aim is to bring in technology that helps it build vehicle-specific expertise into the assistant.
GM announced last year that Gemini would come to millions of 2022 model-year and newer vehicles, followed by a GM AI assistant, CNBC reported. The company did not provide a name for the new system or disclose the large language model partner.
This story draws on original reporting from CNBC.
