General Motors is set to introduce a personal AI assistant for its OnStar service, marking a significant evolution of the subscription-based connected car platform that has been around for three decades.
The OnStar AI Assistant will first feature in the 2027 Cadillac Lyriq EV, which is scheduled to launch soon. More GM models are expected to adopt this technology in the future. This announcement was made during GM’s Forward conference in New York, where the company showcased various advancements involving software, automated driving, electric vehicles, and electrical systems. A new OnStar mobile application is also anticipated for a 2027 release, designed to work seamlessly with the in-car software.
The upcoming OnStar app will serve as a replacement for the existing OnStar Guardian app, which debuted in 2020, and will take over the brand-specific applications for Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC.
This tech-driven revamp differs from past modernization attempts, placing a strong emphasis on an AI-driven experience. GM has made several updates to the safety and roadside assistance features of OnStar over the years, particularly in recent times, in order to keep pace with innovative competitors like Tesla.
In 2021, the OnStar Guardian app was enhanced to include features like crash detection and emergency assistance, making it available to anyone with a compatible smartphone, even non-GM vehicle owners. The following year, GM began leveraging Google Cloud’s conversational AI for voice recognition of specific requests and expanded its capabilities in 2023 to include responses to common inquiries like navigation — a move aligned with GM’s ambition to develop a $25 billion subscription service by 2030.
While GM has focused on integrating generative AI, it has primarily relied on Google for the technology. A rollout of Google Gemini in GM vehicles is planned for 2026.
The OnStar AI Assistant is an initiative aimed at providing drivers and passengers with an engaging and personalized experience, making it a more integral part of their everyday routines.
“OnStar is evolving into a connected intelligence platform, not merely a call center as it has been seen historically,” GM’s Chief Product Officer Sterling Anderson stated. “It’s becoming a system designed to interpret, comprehend, and deliver predictive and proactive support for its users.”
For instance, the vehicle’s cameras will connect to the software for real-time views and safety recordings. Users can program the cameras to activate automatically in response to certain events—like a loud horn honk—capturing and uploading the footage to the OnStar app. Voice commands will allow users to control various features, including climate settings, and inquire about specific functionalities.
This launch aligns with wider shifts in the automotive sector towards technologies that are central rather than peripheral. To keep up with the leading Chinese automakers, GM has revamped its software development approach, embraced AI tools, and restructured its vehicle architecture for centralized computing.
This announcement also follows GM facing scrutiny for its data-sharing practices. Recently, the Federal Trade Commission imposed an order that restricts General Motors and its OnStar telematics service from sharing certain consumer information with reporting agencies. The order mandates greater transparency and requires explicit consumer consent for particular data collection.
GM clarified that customers can choose what data is shared, and all recordings will have expiry limits and be encrypted. Furthermore, GM and OnStar will not access the Connected Camera recordings.
A GM representative later indicated that any third-party sharing would be “feature-specific and based on consent, only sharing what is necessary to enable requested features.” Customers will have the ability to manage permissions and withdraw consent, although opting out of certain data sharing may limit access to specific features while still allowing use of other OnStar services.
This article has been updated to reflect statements from a GM representative.
