General Motors (NYSE:GM) and Google Cloud today added details on how the two companies collaborated to bring conversational AI technology into GM vehicles, which is continually expanding. Since its launch in 2022, GM’s OnStar Interactive Virtual Assistant (IVA), has used intent-recognition algorithms from Google Cloud’s conversational AI technologies to provide OnStar Members with responses to common inquiries, as well as routing and navigation assistance. The successful deployment of Google Cloud’s AI in GM’s OnStar service has led to future generative AI deployments being jointly piloted by GM and Google Cloud, the companies said.
“Generative AI has the potential to revolutionize the buying, ownership, and interaction experience inside the vehicle and beyond, enabling more opportunities to deliver new features and services,” claimed Mike Abbott, executive vice president, Software and Services, GM. “Our software-led approach has accelerated the creation of compelling services for our customers while driving increased efficiency across the GM enterprise. The work with Google Cloud is another example of our efforts to transform how customers engage with our products and services.”
However, in AutoInformed’s view there are insufficient regulations and guidelines in the industry about who owns your personal data and how it is used or sold to other entities. Therefore this might not be good for everyone or the sun might not be so sunny in a personal vale. “Big Tech has shown time and time again that it cannot be trusted to protect Americans’ privacy,” said Epic* Deputy Director Caitriona Fitzgerald on another Google privacy legal matter. (AutoInformed: GM OnStar – the Connected Car Beginnings?; Pew Research Center on Americans’ Views About Privacy, Surveillance and Data-Sharing; One-Millionth Subscriber Joins Subaru Connected Services; Kiss Your Privacy Goodbye as Mastermind Grows)
GM said its decision to collaborate with Google Cloud in exploring new, business-wide generative AI applications builds on what the two companies began together in 2019 when GM made its first vehicles with Google built-in. Since then, the number of GM vehicles with Google built-in has grown, giving customers access to Google Assistant, Google Maps and Google Play, directly from their vehicles’ center displays. That collaboration soon expanded to the deployment of Google Cloud’s conversational AI technology, Dialogflow. With this technology, GM’s OnStar virtual assistant is now managing more than 1 million customer inquiries a month in the US and Canada and is available in most model year 2015 and newer GM vehicles connected by OnStar.
GM’s OnStar Interactive Virtual Assistant (IVA), launched in 2022, uses advanced AI-based, intent recognition technologies powered by the Google Cloud’s Dialogflow technology to provide OnStar Members with routing and navigation assistance, including turn-by-turn directions. The OnStar IVA assists with common inquiries initiated by the non‑emergency OnStar blue-button push in GM vehicles, but also attempts to distinguish phrases and words that may signify an emergency situation and help to quickly route the call to OnStar’s specially trained emergency Advisors.
With this technology, OnStar has been better able to immediately understand a customer’s question or request the first time it is spoken, providing a response with a natural sounding voice. Customers hear the same familiar OnStar “voice” whether they are sitting in their vehicle or calling on the phone and have reacted positively to experiences on calls without hold times. With the OnStar IVA successfully helping GM customers requesting navigation assistance, OnStar Advisors have been able to spend more time with customers with requests that require a human touch.
Additionally, GM is using Google Cloud’s Dialogflow technology to deploy chatbots that can conversationally help answer customer questions about GM vehicles and product features based on the technical information from GM’s extensive vehicle data repositories. With this technology, customers can get quick answers to questions such as, “Tell me more about GM’s 2024 EV lineup,” or learn how to take advantage of new technology items in their vehicle. These chatbots are active across GM’s corporate and vehicle brand websites, bringing additional convenience to customers looking for specific vehicle related information.
*EPIC – was established in 1994 to protect privacy, freedom of expression, and democratic values in the information age. “Our mission is to secure the fundamental right to privacy in the digital age for all people through advocacy, research, and litigation. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit research and advocacy center. We have no clients, no customers, and no shareholders. We need your support.”
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
GM Expanding Google Cloud AI Initiatives
“Generative AI has the potential to revolutionize the buying, ownership, and interaction experience inside the vehicle and beyond, enabling more opportunities to deliver new features and services,” claimed Mike Abbott, executive vice president, Software and Services, GM. “Our software-led approach has accelerated the creation of compelling services for our customers while driving increased efficiency across the GM enterprise. The work with Google Cloud is another example of our efforts to transform how customers engage with our products and services.”
However, in AutoInformed’s view there are insufficient regulations and guidelines in the industry about who owns your personal data and how it is used or sold to other entities. Therefore this might not be good for everyone or the sun might not be so sunny in a personal vale. “Big Tech has shown time and time again that it cannot be trusted to protect Americans’ privacy,” said Epic* Deputy Director Caitriona Fitzgerald on another Google privacy legal matter. (AutoInformed: GM OnStar – the Connected Car Beginnings?; Pew Research Center on Americans’ Views About Privacy, Surveillance and Data-Sharing; One-Millionth Subscriber Joins Subaru Connected Services; Kiss Your Privacy Goodbye as Mastermind Grows)
GM said its decision to collaborate with Google Cloud in exploring new, business-wide generative AI applications builds on what the two companies began together in 2019 when GM made its first vehicles with Google built-in. Since then, the number of GM vehicles with Google built-in has grown, giving customers access to Google Assistant, Google Maps and Google Play, directly from their vehicles’ center displays. That collaboration soon expanded to the deployment of Google Cloud’s conversational AI technology, Dialogflow. With this technology, GM’s OnStar virtual assistant is now managing more than 1 million customer inquiries a month in the US and Canada and is available in most model year 2015 and newer GM vehicles connected by OnStar.
GM’s OnStar Interactive Virtual Assistant (IVA), launched in 2022, uses advanced AI-based, intent recognition technologies powered by the Google Cloud’s Dialogflow technology to provide OnStar Members with routing and navigation assistance, including turn-by-turn directions. The OnStar IVA assists with common inquiries initiated by the non‑emergency OnStar blue-button push in GM vehicles, but also attempts to distinguish phrases and words that may signify an emergency situation and help to quickly route the call to OnStar’s specially trained emergency Advisors.
With this technology, OnStar has been better able to immediately understand a customer’s question or request the first time it is spoken, providing a response with a natural sounding voice. Customers hear the same familiar OnStar “voice” whether they are sitting in their vehicle or calling on the phone and have reacted positively to experiences on calls without hold times. With the OnStar IVA successfully helping GM customers requesting navigation assistance, OnStar Advisors have been able to spend more time with customers with requests that require a human touch.
Additionally, GM is using Google Cloud’s Dialogflow technology to deploy chatbots that can conversationally help answer customer questions about GM vehicles and product features based on the technical information from GM’s extensive vehicle data repositories. With this technology, customers can get quick answers to questions such as, “Tell me more about GM’s 2024 EV lineup,” or learn how to take advantage of new technology items in their vehicle. These chatbots are active across GM’s corporate and vehicle brand websites, bringing additional convenience to customers looking for specific vehicle related information.
*EPIC – was established in 1994 to protect privacy, freedom of expression, and democratic values in the information age. “Our mission is to secure the fundamental right to privacy in the digital age for all people through advocacy, research, and litigation. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit research and advocacy center. We have no clients, no customers, and no shareholders. We need your support.”
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.