“Technology is technology. It is not inherently good or bad. Technologies are tools.”

—Alfonso Cuaron, Filmmaker

Innovation in Intermission

With the federal government currently on pause, the result for tech has been frozen data, stalled projects, and a lot of business leaders flying blind.

Washington might be quiet, but the ripple effect is loud across tech, business, and daily life.

Who is Affected (And What it Means for the Rest of Us)

• Commerce Department
  The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), which sets the standards that keep AI safe and consistent, has gone dark. Only a few projects are limping along with leftover funding. Offices tied to the CHIPS and Science Act, responsible for supporting semiconductor manufacturing, remain open through limited funding.

• FTC and FCC
  Both agencies are almost completely dark. Consumer protection, licensing, spectrum management, and fraud reporting have stopped. The agency’s major antitrust cases involving Amazon, Meta, and Google are likely to face delays.

• Small Business Administration
  The SBA’s programs supporting small business growth, including grants and loans for technology adoption, are paused. Dealers and suppliers that depend on these funds for modernization or expansion will need to wait for the government to reopen before applications resume.

• Bureau of Labor Statistics
  The BLS is offline, halting the publication of jobs reports, inflation data, and consumer confidence updates. These reports guide decisions across industries, from inventory and pricing to hiring and investment. Without this information, businesses are making choices with limited visibility.

• National Science Foundation
  The NSF has furloughed most of its staff and stopped issuing new grants. This affects research and development pipelines for technology and data science projects that often influence private-sector innovation.

• Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
  CISA is operating with a smaller staff and reduced capacity. Cybersecurity operations are stretched thin, leaving more room for potential threats during a time when oversight is needed most.

OpenAI just launched Sora 2, the newest evolution in AI-generated video and the engine behind its new social app built entirely on short-form AI content. Think TikTok, but every video is written, directed, and rendered by AI.

The update brings sharper motion, synchronized sound, and natural dialogue that blurs the line between filmed and generated content.

But not everyone is cheering. Since launch, Sora’s feed has filled with AI-generated clips featuring recognizable brands and characters—from Michael Jackson to SpongeBob—raising red flags about copyright and fair use. Legal experts warn that OpenAI could face pushback from rights holders, even as the company works to filter content and honor takedown requests.

For creators, it’s a glimpse into what’s next. And yes, people are already putting it to work.

Our very own Paul J Daly jumped in early to test what Sora can do, and the results are remarkable.

His posts capture exactly why this tech matters for dealers and storytellers alike: it’s not just about the video, it’s about what you can convey with it.

Check out Paul’s posts utilizing Sora here and here.

If you’re testing out Sora 2 for the first time, this prompt is a great way to see how well it handles motion, light, and sound. It’s simple, cinematic, and gives you a feel for what the model can really do.

📌 Pro Tip: Start with scenes grounded in reality before going big with creative ideas. The more specific you are about camera angles, lighting, and sound, the more natural your video will feel.

In this episode of The Dealer Playbook, Michael sits down with Brad Gelber, Digital Media and Content Marketing Manager at West Herr Auto Group, to talk about what actually works in dealership marketing today.

The conversation digs into how AI is changing content creation and storytelling, and why human creativity, emotion, and culture still do the heavy lifting.

Watch the full replay to learn how AI can elevate authenticity instead of replacing it.

• According to holiday forecasts from Adobe, U.S. shoppers will spend $253.4B online this holiday season (up 5.3% YOY). 🛍️

• Opera’s Neon browser introduces AI-driven browsing, allowing users to delegate tasks like research and tab management. 🗂️

• Apple is shelving plans revamp the Vision Pro goggles to prioritize development of augmented reality (AR) glasses. 🤓

• A new AI search engine called Lore will help curious cats dive down internet rabbit holes. 🐰