OnStar Adds AI Layer With Opt-Out Privacy Controls

Owners of GM vehicles can turn the new AI features on or off, starting with the 2027 Cadillac Lyriq.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Electric Vehicles

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a coiled charging cable over an EV charging port beside an open road, in navy, cream and teal, evoking owner-controlled connected-car features. — General Motors on Oct. 21 announced an AI layer for its OnStar assistant, with owner-controlled privacy settings debuting in the 2027 Cadillac Lyriq. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Would you trust an AI assistant in your car to record and share your data?

General Motors has added an AI-based intelligence layer to its OnStar in-vehicle assistant, announced in an Oct. 21 press release. The AI-powered OnStar assistant will debut in the 2027 Cadillac Lyriq via over-the-air update in the coming months, with additional GM vehicles to follow.

Why it matters

The update targets long-standing consumer privacy concerns, according to GM, through analytics data streams and opt-out policies. For families with GM vehicles, it signals that connected-car features will increasingly be controlled by settings the owner chooses to switch on or off.

The AI assistant debuts first in the 2027 Cadillac Lyriq via over-the-air update, and the new OnStar mobile app launches in 2027 to replace the OnStar Guardian app and the Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC companion apps.

The players

General Motors

Detroit automaker whose brands include Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac, and which has offered the OnStar connected-car service since 1996.

OnStar

GM's connected-car service providing emergency assistance, navigation, and vehicle diagnostics to owners of GM vehicles.

The details

The generative AI features combine real-time vehicle-specific data with context and connected services. The assistant can check real-time EV range, map charging stops, and connect drivers with a human OnStar Advisor. Connected cameras automatically record triggered incidents and upload them securely to the OnStar app, and recordings are encrypted, time-limited, and not accessible to GM. Features are activated only if customers choose them and can be switched off at any time.

Oct. 21: GM announced the AI-powered OnStar intelligence layer in a press release.
In the coming months: the AI OnStar assistant debuts in the 2027 Cadillac Lyriq via over-the-air update.
2027: the AI-powered OnStar mobile app launches.

The Home Front

OnStar has been part of GM vehicles since its 1996 launch, so this update extends a decades-old connected-car platform rather than starting a new one. For households, the change sits alongside broader in-car data and privacy questions that owners increasingly weigh when choosing a vehicle.

If you own a GM vehicle, check whether your model year supports OnStar and review the privacy and opt-out settings in the app before enabling any new AI features. If you are planning a 2027 Cadillac Lyriq purchase, factor in that the AI assistant arrives via over-the-air update and can be switched off.

The takeaway

Connected-car features are increasingly optional, so review what your vehicle collects and how to turn it off. Keep your OnStar account and app settings current, and confirm which app replaces the older OnStar Guardian app when the 2027 mobile app launches.