GM to Introduce Its Own In-Car AI Assistant Later This Year

General Motors is preparing to roll out its own in-vehicle artificial intelligence assistant later this year, expanding its connected-car strategy with technology built specifically around GM vehicles and services.

Unlike Google’s Gemini assistant, which the automaker recently introduced in eligible models, GM’s upcoming AI platform is being designed to work much more closely with the vehicle itself. The system will have deeper access to onboard functions, telematics data, and GM’s connected services, according to Anna Santos, the company’s director of product management for voice and AI/machine learning.

“Later this year, we’ll be launching a more deeply integrated native AI assistant that combines conversational AI with GM vehicle knowledge and OnStar intelligence to create those capabilities that go beyond what a general purpose assistant can do,” she told.

GM first revealed plans for the new assistant last year while announcing that Google’s Gemini AI would arrive in millions of 2022 model-year and newer vehicles during 2026. At the time, the automaker confirmed that a GM-developed AI assistant would follow but shared few details about the project.

Santos declined to reveal the assistant’s name but said the platform is being developed to better “understand the vehicle, the drive and our customers’ needs, and make everyday ownership simpler.”

Gemini already allows drivers to interact using natural language instead of memorizing voice commands or repeating requests. The assistant is also beginning to support interactive “live sessions,” enabling conversational exchanges and games like trivia or 20 Questions. While Gemini can control certain vehicle functions, including climate settings and audio controls, it largely operates in the same way it does on a smartphone.

“This is the beginning of a broader AI journey for us,” Santos said. “There’s a limit to what an AI that’s just sort of sitting at the top level of the vehicle can do.”

GM is partnering with an undisclosed large language model provider to build features that extend beyond voice interactions. Future capabilities are expected to include predictive maintenance, advanced vehicle diagnostics, telemetry analysis, and other functions tailored specifically for vehicle ownership.

The company also envisions personalized voice commands that can instantly adjust multiple settings at once. For example, a request such as “kids setting” could automatically change music preferences, seat positions, cabin temperature, and door lock configurations to better accommodate younger passengers.

“It’s data that’s going to be proprietary to GM, and our goal is to make sure that we’re bringing the right technology forward to enable us to build the deep vehicle expertise that we want to be able to bring to the AI assistant,” Santos said.