Which Company's Case Study?
This is a case study of General Motors (GM), the largest automaker in the United States. The company is advancing the adoption of Google Cloud's generative AI technology to significantly enhance the features of its connected car service "OnStar", which has been offered since the 1990s.
Challenges They Wanted to Solve
Traditional in-car voice assistants could respond to fixed commands like "I want to go to XX," but struggled with complex requests and natural conversations that understood context. Additionally, simple inquiries such as navigation assistance were burdening call centers, creating a challenge to focus resources on responding to urgent requirements.
How AI Was Used
GM integrated Google Cloud's conversational AI technology "Dialogflow" and the more advanced generative AI "Gemini" into the OnStar system. This allows drivers to make complex requests in more natural language, such as "Go to the nearest post office, and while we're at it, find a place where I can get good coffee." The update will be rolled out sequentially via over-the-air (OTA) software updates to approximately 4 million eligible vehicles from 2022 onwards.
Benefits and Key Takeaways
- ▸Drivers can now set navigation, search for information, create and translate messages through natural conversation while staying focused on driving, improving convenience and safety.
- ▸By having AI automatically handle simple inquiries, human advisors can concentrate on more complex issues, such as emergency responses.
- ▸Notably, the integration of cutting-edge AI into an existing robust service platform (OnStar) has dramatically improved the value of the customer experience. This is an excellent example of digital transformation leveraging existing assets, rather than launching an AI service from scratch.
What Japanese Companies Can Learn
This case study demonstrates the potential to create new added value by integrating AI into existing products and customer touchpoints. Rather than AI-enabling all functions at once, an approach of starting small—for example, with "responding to frequently asked questions" or "automating routine operations"—and then iteratively improving based on customer feedback, would be a valuable reference for many Japanese companies.