"Technology is nothing. What’s important is that you have faith in people, that they’re basically good and smart—and if you give them tools, they’ll do wonderful things with them."

—Steve Jobs, Co-Founder of Apple

Automate the Chores, Not the Connection

A new Pew Research study finds that 95% of Americans have at least some awareness of artificial intelligence.

And while most are open to using AI in their daily lives, many want stronger boundaries around where and how it shows up, especially when it comes to human interaction.

Cautious Curiosity

While AI awareness is near-universal, comfort levels are not. Half of U.S. adults say they’re more concerned than excited about AI’s growing presence in daily life. Only one in ten say they’re mostly excited. And nearly two-thirds want more control over how AI is used in their own lives.

At the same time, there’s a practical streak running through the data. About 73% of Americans say they’re willing to let AI assist them with day-to-day tasks.

Trust Depends on the Task

People are comfortable with AI in analytical or back-end roles: weather forecasting, fraud detection, developing medicines. But they draw the line at deeply personal areas like romance, religion, and life decisions.

In a dealership, customers are likely fine with AI confirming appointments or inventory. But if it starts making recommendations that feel personal or financial, they expect a person to step in.

Don’t Lose the Human Touch

Over half of Americans say AI is making us worse at thinking creatively and forming relationships. Those are the exact qualities that drive success in auto retail.

The opportunity is clear: use AI to reduce friction, not replace interaction. Let it handle the repetitive tasks so your people can focus on connection, trust, and closing.

Customers aren’t anti-tech. They just want to know it’s being used to make the experience better, not colder.

Every automated message your dealership sends is part of the customer experience — and often, the first impression. If it sounds robotic, rushed, or off-brand, trust takes a hit before your team even has a chance to connect.

But automated doesn’t have to mean impersonal. A small change in phrasing can be the difference between a missed connection and a booked appointment.

Try it with:

• First-touch lead responses

• Service follow-ups

• Missed call texts

• Chatbot greetings

• Post-purchase check-ins

Extra tip:
Feed your AI a few real texts or emails from top performers, then ask it to match their style. Not the words, but the vibe and tone.

• Management & Operations: Kenect
  Brings texting, online reviews, and payment collection into one system built for dealership workflows. It can help reduce missed calls, speed up service approvals, and keep communication with customers more organized.
   

• Service and Parts: VehicleLyfe
  This platform connects with your DMS to give customers a timeline of their vehicle’s key milestones like service, warranty, and trade-in value. It helps dealers stay engaged post-sale by triggering smart follow-ups tied to real vehicle data.
   

• Data Management: Slite
  This tool helps teams create, organize, and share internal documentation in one place. It’s designed to keep processes clear, updates consistent, and knowledge accessible across departments.

In this NAMAD Session, Scott Traylor and Thuy Adomitis explore how one dealer’s everyday friction with missed calls, siloed chats, and unanswered emails sparked a rethinking of the entire customer communication model.

They share stories from the front lines, like helping a customer get out of park over the phone, and discuss how operators are reimagining what it means to be responsive at scale. More than a tech talk, it is a look at how real dealers are reclaiming time, reducing chaos, and setting new standards for service.

If your team is drowning in messages that never connect, this conversation will hit home.

Watch the full episode here.

• Nvidia plans to invest up to $100B in OpenAI. 💸

• Gemini has officially launched for Google TVs. 📺

• California lawmakers have passed the “No Robo Bosses” Act which will restrict how companies use AI to make employment-related decisions. 🤖