GM’s Sterling Anderson Redefines Role of CPO Amid Executive Shuffle, Pushes for Software-Hardware Integration
General Motors is undergoing a significant transformation under the leadership of its Chief Product Officer, Sterling Anderson, who envisions the automaker as a “canvas” ripe for innovation. Anderson, appointed to the role in June, is consolidating control over the entire product lifecycle – from engineering and manufacturing to software and services – as GM aggressively pursues software-defined vehicles and renewed ambitions in autonomous driving.
Anderson’s arrival from self-driving firm Aurora Innovation has coincided with a series of unexpected departures from GM’s leadership ranks, including senior vice presidents of software and artificial intelligence, Dave Richardson and Barak Turovsky, and, soon, Baris Cetinok. GM attributes these changes to restructuring efforts aimed at accelerating innovation.
“We are strategically integrating AI capabilities directly into our business and product organizations, enabling faster innovation and more targeted solutions,” a GM spokesperson stated regarding Turovsky’s exit. The departures underscore Anderson’s strategy of unifying software and product development, a departure from the traditionally siloed approach of recent years.
Since joining GM, Anderson spent his first five months “in a listen mode,” immersing himself in the company’s operations to refine his approach. “What that five months of listening has allowed me to do is really fine tune and target how we’re going, not just kind of what we’re going to innovate on, but how we’re going to do it,” he explained in an October interview with CNBC.
The shift in strategy comes after GM previously scaled back its autonomous vehicle ambitions, disbanding its Cruise AV business following years of investment and development. However, the company remains committed to self-driving technology, with a renewed focus on “personal autonomous vehicles” rather than robotaxis.
“Just be clear, we’re developing a self-driving product,” Anderson affirmed to CNBC. “It’s a self-driving product that can be safe without any handbacks to the human in safety critical situations.” GM Chair and CEO Mary Barra echoed this sentiment at the New York Times DealBook Summit in December 2025, stating the company is “well positioned” to achieve autonomous highway driving by 2028.
Anderson, a veteran of Tesla where he led the Model X program and the development of “Autopilot,” brings a unique perspective to GM. He initially viewed the automaker as an “old-world automotive” caricature, but credits Barra and President Mark Reuss with dispelling those preconceptions. “I was really worried about it, right? I’m the ‘Silicon Valley cowboy’ that’s coming into Detroit…I found it quite different from what I’d expected,” Anderson said.
The executive turnover at GM isn’t unique within the industry, as traditional automakers struggle to integrate complex software and electronics technologies. According to Peter Abowd, an automotive and technology consultant at Envorso, “Traditional U.S. automakers have very much had a significant struggle with understanding software and electronics technology, and that has caused them to have a parade of experts quote ‘coming in to help.’” Abowd suggests that these departures often stem from “a misapplication of skills and talent” and unrealistic expectations within large, established organizations.
Despite the challenges, several Silicon Valley executives have praised GM’s leadership and potential. Former GM executives, including Richardson and Cetinok, previously described their roles as “an opportunity of a lifetime” and “a product person’s dream,” respectively.
Barra and Reuss, in turn, lauded Anderson’s ability to “evolve” and “reinvent” GM’s operations upon his appointment in May. Anderson believes that combining his experience from fast-paced companies like Tesla and Aurora with GM’s established resources will position the automaker for future success.
“I view it as a canvas,” Anderson concluded. “This is an extraordinary opportunity for innovation, and I’d be remiss not to see what I can do for it.”
