Sonos is making sweeping changes to its connected ecosystem with Sonos 27, the next generation of its audio system. Beyond a redesigned interface and new multi-room features, this update most notably marks the arrival of Sonos 27mcp, a gateway that allows artificial intelligence assistants such as ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini to control the brand’s speakers and soundbars. This major development could profoundly transform the way we interact with wireless audio systems.
A new numbering system
Sonos is now moving away from traditional version numbering for its software and adopting a naming convention based on the coming year. After gradually updating its S2 platform, the company is now moving directly to Sonos 27, following a strategy similar to the one Apple recently adopted for its operating systems. Available as a free update for Sonos S2-compatible devices, Sonos 27 is much more than just a name change. The American manufacturer now aims to position its software as a true audio operating system, capable of evolving independently of the hardware and regularly delivering new features to devices already installed in homes.
The main new feature involves artificial intelligence. Until now, voice control of a Sonos system relied primarily on built-in assistants or Sonos Voice Control. With Sonos 27, the brand is taking things a step further by allowing external artificial intelligence agents to interact directly with the audio system.
When ChatGPT can control speakers
This integration is based on Sonos 27mcp, currently available in early access. As its name suggests, this technology uses the Model Context Protocol (MCP), an open-source standard designed to allow large language models and AI agents to access external tools and services. Instead of developing a specific integration for each AI system, Sonos provides an MCP server capable of communicating with any compatible client. Once access to the Sonos account is authorized, the AI assistant can understand the system’s configuration and interact directly with the various devices.
Sonos has announced compatibility with OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude, and Google’s Gemini, as well as any other assistant capable of communicating with an MCP server. Sonos notes, however, that Sonos 27mcp is still in early access and that related information is currently available only in English. Integrations in the form of connectors or plugins offered directly within certain AI applications will also be rolled out gradually.
Control your entire home using natural language
MCP compatibility allows users to control the setup using more natural language than with current assistants. The user interacts with their AI agent as they normally would, while the agent determines the actions needed to fulfill the request. For example, you could ask ChatGPT to “play a jazz playlist in the living room and kitchen, but not on the patio,” to turn down the volume on all speakers before leaving, or to move the music currently playing from the living room to the bedroom.
For this first version, Sonos has developed 34 MCP tools that enable artificial intelligence to interact with the system’s key functions. Sonos 27mcp can, for example, play music from connected services, adjust or mute the volume, pause playback, skip to the next track, manage speaker groups, or transfer music from one room to another. It’s also possible to access Sonos favorites and playlists, enable shuffle or repeat playback, and even control certain home theater-specific features. For example, an AI agent can enable Night Mode or Voice Enhancement on a compatible soundbar.
This architecture really comes into its own in a multi-room system with multiple components. Rather than manually selecting different zones in the Sonos app, a simple voice command is all it takes to completely reorganize the sound distribution throughout the house.
A redesigned Sonos app
Artificial intelligence isn’t the only new feature introduced by Sonos 27. The app now features a new navigation layout organized around three main sections: Home, System, and Search. Frequently used rooms can be pinned for quicker access, and new gestures make it easier to control the system from a smartphone. On the iPhone, Sonos has introduced a particularly impressive virtual volume control: by swiping in a circular motion with two fingers on the screen, users can adjust the volume as if they were turning a physical knob. The brand is also improving the management of playlists, music services, and controls from iOS.
Portable speakers are finally becoming surround sound systems
The Sonos 27 also introduces the Portable Surrounds feature. Two Sonos Play or Sonos Move 2 portable speakers can temporarily serve as the rear surround speakers in a home theater setup. Thanks to positioning technology developed by Sonos, the speakers detect their proximity to a compatible soundbar and automatically adjust their role. When removed from the setup, they revert to functioning as standalone portable speakers. Sonos specifically mentions compatibility with the Arc Ultra, Arc, Beam Ultra, and Beam Gen 2 soundbars for this new architecture.
Towards a new way of controlling wireless hi-fi systems?
With Sonos 27mcp, Sonos is one of the first major audio manufacturers to officially offer an interface designed for AI agents. It’s no longer just a matter of adding a specific voice command to a speaker, but of enabling a general-purpose AI to understand and then control an entire audio system accordingly. In the short term, the appeal will mainly be evident to users already familiar with ChatGPT, Claude, or MCP-compatible tools. Sonos 27mcp remains in early access, and its rollout to the interfaces of various assistants is still ongoing.
In the longer term, however, this development could profoundly change the way a multi-room system is controlled. Music search, creating playlists, managing different rooms, and home theater controls could gradually be brought together under a single conversational interface. Having popularized multi-room audio controlled via a smartphone, Sonos now appears to be preparing for a new shift: that of an audio system that you can simply tell what you want to listen to.
