"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

—Arthur C. Clarke, Author and Inventor

The AI Breakdown

America’s AI Playbook: A New Federal Roadmap

Last week, President Trump dropped America’s AI Action Plan, the most aggressive AI policy agenda we’ve seen from the federal government.

What’s in the Plan?

There are three big objectives:

1. Accelerate AI Innovation

  • Cut regulations that slow down AI development.

  • Promote open-source and open-weight models (so smaller businesses can use and adapt AI tools more easily).

  • Launch federal “regulatory sandboxes” so companies can test new AI tools with fewer restrictions.

  • Push agencies to only buy AI that reflects “objective truth” and avoids “ideological bias.”

2. Build Infrastructure

  • Fast-track construction of data centers, chip factories, and energy systems.

  • Expand the power grid to support the energy needs of large AI systems.

  • Rebuild domestic semiconductor manufacturing (so we’re not relying on Taiwan or China).

  • Train a workforce to install, maintain, and operate AI infrastructure (think: electricians, HVAC techs, engineers).

3. Expand U.S. AI Globally

  • Export American-made AI models, chips, and standards to allies.

  • Tighten export controls to stop U.S. tech from landing in the hands of adversaries.

  • Influence global AI rules by pushing U.S. standards into international forums.

The Trump Administration also issued three executive orders alongside its Plan.

One fast-tracks permits for building data centers and chip facilities, even on federal or military land, to speed up infrastructure growth.

Another boosts U.S. AI exports by developing ready-to-ship tech stacks and funding support for selling them abroad.

The third bans “woke” AI in federal use, requiring agencies to buy only tools that follow new “Unbiased AI Principles” and avoid ideological content.

Why This Matters

This Plan isn’t just about speeding up innovation, it’s also about setting the tone for how AI will be regulated, built, and sold in the U.S. going forward.

And while it’s being praised for its boldness, it may introduce some friction points for businesses like balancing growth with transparency, navigating a patchwork of state and federal standards, and figuring out what counts as “acceptable” AI.

If you’re running a dealership, you probably won’t feel it tomorrow. But your software vendors and infrastructure partners might. And your future employees might come out of programs shaped by this policy.

Bottom line: AI is moving fast. This plan is trying to make sure America moves faster.

Top Tools

Vibe Coding: Inside Google’s Opal

Opal is the latest experimental tool come out of Google Labs that lets you build simple web apps just by describing what you want.

Type a prompt like “a tool to schedule service appointments,” and Opal turns it into a working mini app with a visual workflow.

The result: shareable, AI-powered mini apps that are easy to build, edit, and test.

What is Vibe Coding?

Vibe coding is just shorthand for building software based on the intended goal and feel rather than strictly code. You describe the goal, and AI figures out the technical translation.

It’s a growing trend among tools aimed at non-developers who still want to prototype quickly and creatively.

How It Works

Opal takes your idea and lays it out as a series of editable steps: inputs, AI logic, and outputs.

You can start from scratch or remix one of the existing pre-built templates. Then, adjust each step by clicking and tweaking the prompt or adding new ones. Finally, share the app with a link. Easy peasy. All users need is a Google account.

Opal opens up fast, hands-on problem solving for dealership teams. Want a custom lead follow-up tool? A new-hire training app? A mini campaign tracker? You can build and test ideas on your own in minutes.

Opal’s Limitations

Unfortunately, Opal doesn’t connect to CRMs or DMS platforms yet. And it’s U.S.-only and still in beta, so we can expect some wrinkles still need ironed out. But for early-stage prototypes and one-off tools, it’s a powerful way to move faster with AI.

For anyone looking to experiment, this one’s worth a look.

Prompt of the Week

Now that Washington is talking about federal money for AI workforce development, it may be time to think ahead. This prompt can help:

We’re getting access to national training funds for AI tools. Who are the top five people on our team that we should train first and on what? Explain your reasoning for each as well as the potential ROI.

Fresh Finds for Auto Pros

  • Management & Operations: BDC.AI
    An AI-powered platform designed to automate lead engagement, appointment scheduling, and follow-up communications for dealerships. It integrates with existing CRM systems to improve response times, streamline BDC operations, and increase show rates.

  • Marketing & Advertising: Car Studio AI
    A web-based tool that uses AI to generate professional car images from user-uploaded photos. It offers customizable backgrounds, lighting options, and angles to create marketing-ready visuals without the need for traditional photography.

  • Content Creation: Descript
    An AI-powered audio and video editing platform that offers tools for transcription, screen recording, multitrack editing, and publishing. It allows users to edit media by editing text, automatically remove filler words, and generate voiceovers using synthetic speech.

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