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At the OpenSouthCode 2026, I will present Newelle, an open‑source, AI‑powered virtual assistant that runs locally on Linux and seamlessly integrates into the GNOME desktop ecosystem. Built on a modular architecture, Newelle offers voice and text interaction, context‑aware replies, and an extensible plugin system that can hook into native GNOME components such as the calendar, mail, and GNOME Shell gestures.

This talk will cover:

1. Why a GNOME‑first assistant matters – privacy‑first design, low‑resource footprint, and tight integration with GNOME’s accessibility and theming layers.
2. Core architecture – the NL‑pipeline, plugin manager, and sandboxed data layer that keep the assistant secure and responsive.
3. Extensibility – a developer‑friendly SDK for creating GNOME‑friendly plugins (Python, Rust, JavaScript) and integrating with existing Gnome‑tools (e.g., gnome‑calendar, Seahorse).
4. Use‑case scenarios – from developer assistance in GNOME IDEs to personal productivity via voice‑activated commands.
5. Getting started – installing with apt or flatpak, running on GNOME, and quick‑start demo of a calendar reminder plugin.

Participants will learn how Newelle brings state‑of‑the‑art NLP to a lightweight, desktop‑centric assistant, and will leave with concrete examples of extending the assistant to fit the unique needs of their GNOME users.