Sonos has started rolling out its Sonos 27 software update, introducing AI-based control through services including ChatGPT and Claude while continuing efforts to rebuild confidence in its app following the troubled 2024 redesign.

The update is free for compatible Sonos S2 products, although individual features will depend on the hardware being used.

One of the biggest additions is Sonos 27mcp, an Early Access integration based on the Model Context Protocol. Once users connect and authorise their Sonos system, supported AI assistants can control music playback and speakers directly from their own interface.

In practical terms, a user could ask ChatGPT to play music in a particular room, change the volume or control another part of the Sonos system without having to switch back to the Sonos app.

Sonos has named ChatGPT and Claude among the supported examples, although the initial rollout is focused on US English users.

The company is also developing its own music-focused AI assistant called Sonos 27voice. It is being designed to understand less specific requests, including music based on a mood or a vague description of a song. Early Access is planned later this year in the US and in English, while customisable AI agents with different voices and personalities are expected in 2027.

Another new feature turns compatible portable Sonos speakers into temporary rear surrounds. A matched pair of Move 2 or Sonos Play speakers can detect their location near a compatible soundbar and switch into surround-speaker mode.

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Supported soundbars include the Arc Ultra, Arc, Beam Ultra and Beam Gen 2. Users can then remove the portable speakers and use them elsewhere when the home theatre setup is no longer needed.

Sonos is also expanding how its headphones interact with its speaker ecosystem. The new Ace Ultra headphones will support Wi-Fi audio hand-off between the headphones and compatible Sonos speakers from 29 September.

The original Sonos Ace will not receive the same functionality, meaning existing owners will not gain full speaker-to-headphone integration through the software update.

Alongside the new AI and hardware features, Sonos is continuing to overhaul its app after the 2024 redesign drew widespread criticism over missing features and reliability problems.

Sonos 27 expands the navigation changes introduced earlier this year, including Home, System and Search tabs, improved room organisation and a virtual volume control that can be adjusted using a two-finger gesture.

The September update also adds Siri and Shortcuts support, a redesigned iPad interface and additional controls for music services and playback queues.

Further features, including presets and new system-health tools, are expected later this year.

Sonos is rolling out the update in stages, so it may not appear on every compatible device immediately. While the new AI integrations give the platform additional functionality, the bigger challenge for Sonos will be proving that its software is once again reliable enough for everyday use.