The BBC is working on an Alexa-style virtual assistant that will work across smart speakers, TVs and mobile phones, and understand regional accents.
The assistant, known as Beeb, has been created by an in-house BBC team and will be launched next year, according to The Guardian .
It will be built into the BBC's website and iPlayer app, enabling people to find their favourite programmes and interact with online services using their voice.
It will also be made available to manufacturers who want to incorporate the public broadcaster’s software into their own devices.
BBC staff around the UK are reportedly being invited to record their voices to help train the programme to recognise different accents.
This comes after some US-developed virtual assistants have struggled to understand strong regional British accents, such as Scouse and Geordie.
The BBC said that having its own assistant would enable it to "experiment with new programmes, features and experiences without someone else's permission to build it in a certain way".
"It will also allow the BBC to be much more ambitious in the content and features that listeners can enjoy,” a spokesperson said.
The BBC already works with other voice assistants, such as Alexa and Google Assistant, but it is increasingly pushing users towards its own products, so it can collect more data.
Earlier this month, the corporation announced plans to in the UK, because the app was unable to provide meaningful data on users.
"We want our programmes, products and services to be the best they can be. And a major way we ensure that is by using meaningful data," said Kieran Clifton, Director of BBC Distribution & Business Development, at the time.
"Data is more and more important – as it helps us to make more types of programmes we know people like, and equally importantly, identify gaps in our commissioning to ensure we’re making something for all audiences.
"We also use the data collected about what you watch, listen to or read online to offer personalised programme recommendations – and make our services even more tailored to you."
