GM Adds an AI Assistant to OnStar

General Motors is adding an in-house AI assistant to OnStar as part of a broader overhaul of its subscription-based connected-car service, which the company launched 30 years ago.

The OnStar AI Assistant is set to debut in the 2027 Cadillac Lyriq EV in the coming months, GM said Wednesday at its GM Forward event in New York. The company plans to bring it to more vehicles. GM also said it will launch a new OnStar mobile app in 2027. The app will sync with the in-car software and replace the OnStar Guardian app, launched in 2020, as well as apps for Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC.

Drivers will be able to use voice commands to control some vehicle functions, including climate settings, and ask questions about vehicle features. Connected cameras will provide live views and record crashes and safety events. Users can set cameras to activate automatically when the vehicle detects a potential event, such as an aggressive horn honk, and upload the recording to the OnStar app.

GM says customers will choose what data is shared. It says recordings will be encrypted and subject to time limits, and that GM and OnStar cannot access Connected Camera recordings. The announcement follows past criticism and fines over GM's sharing of data with third parties.