SUMMARY AND KEY POINTS:

  • Cerence AI is developing a mobile work AI agent for the car that integrates with Microsoft 365 Copilot, enabling hands-free mobile work through a voice-first experience.
  • Designed with automakers, end users, and enterprise IT requirements in mind, the AI agent will feature Microsoft Intune integration, bringing endpoint security and policy enforcement to the vehicle.
  • Built to address the rise of mobile work and associated distracted driving risks, the AI agent will help minimize driver distraction with context-aware functionality depending on whether users are parked, driving, or riding in autonomous vehicles.

MUNICH and BURLINGTON, Mass., Sept. 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IAA Mobility 2025 -- Cerence Inc. (NASDAQ: CRNC) (“Cerence AI”), a global leader in conversational AI-powered user experiences, today announced that it will bring to market a new mobile work AI agent in close collaboration with Microsoft. The AI agent will run on Cerence xUI™, the company’s agentic AI assistant platform, and will integrate Microsoft 365 Copilot, allowing people who choose to work in the car to do so more safely and securely through voice-first access to Microsoft 365 Copilot, Teams, Outlook and OneNote. With Cerence xUI’s automotive-grade, agentic architecture, the mobile work agent can seamlessly and proactively orchestrate between Microsoft 365 Copilot and other domains like navigation to enable a cohesive and context-aware user experience.

Since early 2024 , Cerence AI has collaborated with Microsoft to deliver an automotive-grade implementation to millions of vehicles, enabling users to access ChatGPT through Microsoft Azure OpenAI in AI Foundry Models. Through the companies’ collaboration, automotive OEMs – including Renault, Volkswagen, Audi, Cupra, Seat, and Skoda – and their customers have benefitted from Cerence AI’s deep vertical expertise combined with Microsoft cloud and AI capabilities. In addition, Cerence AI has developed and optimized CaLLM™ Edge, its automotive-grade, embedded small language model (SLM) in collaboration with Microsoft, leveraging Microsoft’s Phi-3 family of SLMs and Cerence’s extensive automotive dataset to deliver highly specialized AI that can handle a variety of automotive use cases.

Now, Cerence AI is expanding its collaboration with Microsoft. As commuting by car remains the norm for most workers 1 , distracted driving continues to be a widespread concern, with research linking distraction, possibly due to smartphone use in the car, to slower reaction times and increased accidents 2 . Cerence AI is helping to address these challenges, enabling working professionals to manage their days while on the move and empowering OEMs to enhance the user experience while maintaining driver safety.

“We’ve all been there – you’re driving, and your phone is dinging as new emails and chats come in. You very quickly start to feel like you’re falling behind,” said Cerence AI Chief Revenue Officer, Christian Mentz. “For most people, unfortunately, the instinct is to then check their phone while driving. With our new mobile work AI agent and its integration with Microsoft 365 Copilot services, we will help to minimize this impulse through a natural, voice-first experience that doesn’t compromise safety or security. The focus isn’t maximizing productivity; it’s recognizing the need for technology that supports smarter, safer work in a world that is increasingly mobile.”

Cerence xUI enables natural, hands-free, eyes-on-the-road interaction. It aims to reduce the need for visual engagement and manual input, limiting distractions and supporting driver safety with multi-modal integration tailored for an automotive environment. As part of xUI, the mobile work AI agent will be deeply integrated with the car itself and will benefit from xUI’s seamless orchestration across a variety of automotive-grade AI agents. For example, it will provide proactive navigation suggestions that integrate with users’ work calendars to guide them to their next meeting without manual input. The AI agent will also leverage contextual awareness to adjust functionality based on whether the user is driving, riding in an autonomous vehicle, or parked to minimize distractions and create a safer experience.

Users will be able to partner with the agent to draft messages, build meeting agendas, and turn ideas captured in OneNote into fleshed out documents – all via voice. Additionally, the AI agent will be able to deliver morning debriefs and daily overviews through natural conversation and proactively manage users’ calendars using context from Microsoft 365 Copilot services and the vehicle. The agent will also learn preferences over time: for example, recognizing that some drivers prefer silence during certain parts of their journeys, users will be able to tell the AI agent to pause mid-conversation.

Enterprise IT and Automaker Benefits

Today, most vehicles aren’t treated as secure devices by corporate IT, which limits access to key Microsoft 365 functionality. Cerence AI’s mobile work agent is integrated with Microsoft Intune, turning the car into a managed, trusted device with compliant access to enterprise tools in the Microsoft 365 suite, including advanced AI capabilities.

For automakers, the in-vehicle Microsoft 365 Copilot experience will create a premium, loyalty-building differentiator that scales across vehicle tiers and target markets. As part of Cerence’s flexible xUI platform, the agent is designed to scale across a wide range of vehicle segments and OEM architectures. Whether for premium flagships or mass-market platforms, the agent will allow any automaker to bring a branded Microsoft 365 Copilot experience into the cabin.

“Our collaboration with Cerence AI will bring Microsoft 365 Copilot into the car, enabling drivers to stay connected without compromising safety or compliance,” said Dayan Rodriguez, Microsoft Corporate Vice President, Global Manufacturing and Mobility. “With secure, voice-first access to trusted tools, we’re helping people manage their day more effectively—whether it’s staying informed, coordinating schedules, or making quick decisions on the go. It’s not about doing more work—it’s about optimizing for busy lives in a safe, seamless way.”

To learn more about the Cerence AI mobile work agent, visit Booth D21, Hall B2 at IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich, Germany. Cerence AI and Microsoft will also participate in a panel, “ What you Really, Really Want? New Ways in Customer Centricity ,” on September 9.

For more information about Cerence AI, visit www.cerence.ai , and follow the company on LinkedIn .

About Cerence Inc.
Cerence Inc. (NASDAQ: CRNC) is a global industry leader in creating intuitive, seamless, AI-powered experiences across automotive and transportation. Leveraging decades of innovation and expertise in voice, generative AI, and large language models, Cerence powers integrated experiences that create safer, more connected, and more enjoyable journeys for drivers and passengers alike. With more than 525 million cars shipped with Cerence technology, the company partners with leading automakers, transportation OEMs, and technology companies to advance the next generation of user experiences. Cerence is headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts, with operations globally and a worldwide team dedicated to pushing the boundaries of AI innovation. For more information, visit www.cerence.ai .

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1 https://www.statista.com/chart/18208/means-of-transportation-used-by-us-commuters/
2 https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving