I covered The AI Summit in New York last week because I wanted to learn more about AI and Machine Learning.

According to Tractica, AI is being implemented globally.

AI and Machine Learning used in many verticals and processes. For example, when I compose an email using GMAIL, I received suggestions on how to finish a sentence. To use the GMAIL suggestion, I can tap the right arrow button on my keyboard.

Think about your routine and your processes, I bet that AI influencers your decisions from where to eat to what to watch.

It is important not to fear AI; use it as a tool to be more productive and live better.

Data Privacy

There are many issues on Data privacy with legislation such as GDPR, CCPA among others. Right now we’re are at the level where AI can understand customer behavior and make suggestions.

AI In the Home

I attended an LG Labs event on AI in the home where it was suggested that companies need to collect more customer data to make better products. To convince customers to provide more data, companies need to provide customers with a ROD analysis or Return on Data. The return on Data should measure customer benefits against the amount of data they are providing. For example, in exchange for providing X amount of Data, we improved our product By Y i.e. increased functionality and better user experience. Think of an ROI or ROAS analysis.

The next evolution for AI is to go from predicting current user intent to future user intent based on user actions. Eventually, AI devices will be consolidated and work cross-functionally.

How AI will impact Sales, Marketing and the Customer Experience

Mark Beccue of Tractica opened up the Sales, Marketing and Customer Experience part of the Summit.

Matthew Quinn of Columbia University shares his insights on AI’s impact on Sales and Marketing.

Companies will not have just Salespeople or Machine Learning in the sales process. Instead, to increase Profits companies will have a hybrid model.

A business’s reason for using Machine Learning and AI is to become more efficient, get better insights and better ROI and profits.

Businesses need to think globally by applying cultural diffusion to their business through localization and language translation.

Marketing

AI will improve Marketing KPIs by allowing brands to measure improve linguistic effectiveness.

Shared by Smith Yewell of Welocalize

Customer Segmentation

Shared by Ranjit Jangam of Comcast

How ML can improve Customer Segmentation Data

AI will improve the customer experience by allowing customers to control their buyer journey with less interaction from the seller.

Shared by Priyanka Tiwari of Interactions.

Conversational AI will help power a self-service model according to Gartner.

What is Conversational AI?

Where AI needs to improve

I want to thank The AI Summit for having me as their guest. If you want to use AI to improve business outcomes, sign up for the AI summit in your city.

What do you think is next for AI?

Comment and share below.

Last week, I covered the Search Marketing Expo in New York City. Search Marketing Expo has is a great event for SEO, SEM, and Digital Marketing professionals. SMX provides attendees with an opportunity to learn actionable techniques in conference sessions and training workshops. Google and Microsoft provided seminars on various SEM topics.

Here is a video of the event.

I enjoyed Moz founder Rand Fishkin’s keynote.

The key insights of the presentation were:

1. Organic traffic has reached its peak and will decline.
2. To keep traffic coming to their sites, Marketers will need to find ways to nudge consumers as Zero click queries continue to grow.
3. Organizations need to shift their investments in product, content, and brand. Decisions on how to redeploy these resources need to be a company-wide effort. 

Here is the link to the presentation.

Google in 2020: From Everyone’s Search Engine to Everyone’s Competitor | SparkToro
I’ve written a lot this year about the shifts we’re seeing from Google — moving from search engine to answer to engine…sparktoro.com

At the end of the keynote, I met Rand and received a signed copy of his new book entitled Lost and Found.

In Google’s Keynote, I learned how businesses can get an edge during the holidays. I also learned of Google’s plan to use Google Images and YouTube for eCommerce. Google is also allowing businesses to use location-based Ads in Google Maps.

The key insights of the presentation were:

1. According to Google most shopping visits start online.

2.When diners search for a great place to eat the searches are probably happening on a smartphone.

3.  When people are online in cars, more than half of them are searching for information on a mobile device making localization and targeting important.

4. . 2/3′s of shoppers say that online video has given them insight and inspiration to make purchases.

5. Shoppers use at least 3 channels or more when shopping.

6. Brands need to provide an omnichannel channel experience all year, especially during the holidays.

7. Sales are happening online and offline. As a result of this shift, Brands need to serve customers on the channels of their choice.

Trends in the US Auto Industry: Key Insights from the 2026 Auto Forum New York

I covered the Automotive Forum New York, the day before the New York International Auto Show. This event connects Automotive thought leaders with Manufacturers and Dealers. Attendees learned about trends and insights in the Automotive industry that focus on the dealer side of the business.

The auto forum started with an economist who analyzed the US Economy as a whole, followed by Thomas King, President, Data & Analytics Division, Chief Product Officer at JD Power, who analyzed the US auto industry, addressing the issue of disappearing EV Tax credits, a surge in lease returns that will reshape the inventory and demand planning. Thomas also addressed the issue of softening trade equity and the rise of subprime lending.

The State of the Automotive Industry

Thomas shared some interesting statistics and analysis. 

The total and retail vehicle Sales in the US for the first quarter are 3.7 million, down from a year ago on a retail basis are 2.9 million or 9% per week.

Vehicles were sold with larger discounts than the previous year at $3300 per unit. This has a negative impact on manufacturer profitability. In terms of new vehicle sales last year, the industry set an all-time high for money spent on vehicles. A great result, but a 7% decline. In terms of retail confidence on a per-unit basis, it was down $50 or $2. Retail volume was $6.1 million, a strong number that was down 10% from a year ago. 

The Automotive Industry is in good shape based on the data.

Prices are rising for vehicles. On average, a new Vehicle costs $46000, up $1000 from last year. Tariffs did not impact pricing because manufacturers absorbed them, as passing the cost to consumers would decrease sales. Manufacturers’ profitability remained stable. Manufacturers are planning to increase Sales and Market share. 

EVs are not driving Sales. With EV incentives gone, consumers are shifting to Gas Vehicles. Manufacturers are shifting back to more gas vehicles to meet consumer demand. 

In terms of lease payments, the average last year was $636 per month, and now it is $650, a modest increase for 36-month leases. With rising lease prices, dealers have a chance to convert lessees to new car buyers with 2.4 million leases ending this year. 13 percent of financed leasing sales are on loans that are 84 months or longer. Subprime lending can help increase sales if it is monitored and controlled. Subprime lending increased in the 1st quarter. 

Trade-ins were a selling point for dealers with the supply constraint back in 2022, with the average price being $29000. Vehicles traded in have lower equity because customers paid above sticker price back in 2022. 

Rising fuel prices will hurt new vehicle sales on leases because, as lease payments go up, the amount spent on gas decreases. However, people whose vehicle costs $46000 on average are less sensitive to rising gas prices. Car buyers who do not lease cars are less affected by rising gas prices. 2.8% percent of income is spent on fuel. 

Lower interest rates will make car buying and leasing less expensive. 

Consumers are on track to spend $623 million on new vehicles. Consumer spending predicted to be at an all-time high. Retailer profits are expected to be $25.4 billion, down from $28.9 million a year ago.

Volume is the same as last year, with the total number being 16.3 million and 13.6 million for retail.

Improving the Customer Experience at Auto Dealerships

A panel discussed how to improve the customer experience. Liza Borches and Rob Cochran shared their insights. The panel suggested being transparent to build customer trust, especially with pricing. Customers want to know how much a car will cost. Transparency also applies to service. Service is a profit center for dealers; this is an opportunity. Currently, there is a shortage of technicians. When customers see a price, they want to know if this is the final price. OEMs can improve the customer experience for customers by listening to and providing customers with what they want based on their needs. 

The panel also shared that dealer must use AI to automate their processes without losing a human touch. 

AI’s Impact on Car Buying

A panel AI in Auto discussed how AI is transforming vehicle buying and dealership operations. Jason Goldberg, GM, Global Client Development, The Trade Desk, Liam Golightley, Vice President, Customer Success, Podium, Jenni Newman, Editor-in-Chief, Cars.com, Brian Abrams, VP, Product Management, CDK, shared their insights. Brian Abrams moderated the panel. 

47 percent of consumers are using AI to date, and 64 percent of consumers use AI in their car shopping journey, but they want a human touch at the dealership, according to Cars.com. 70 percent of consumers are undecided on the make and model of a vehicle, according to Cars.com. AI is shortening the buying process by helping consumers become more informed faster. 67 percent of auto dealers are using AI, and their Business Development Center. AI is transforming the way consumers buy vehicles and how dealerships operate. 

What’s next for OEMs, Dealers, and Manufacturers?

Senator Bernie Moreno, a former car dealer, advised dealers and manufacturers on improving relationships with one another and the US Government in the One on One with Senator Bernie Moreno panel. John Fitzpatrick, CEO, Force Marketing, moderated the discussion. 

He shared about affordability in America. The Senator shared how the administration stopped California from submitting its own set of emissions standards. The goal is to have one set of emission standards to sell more cars abroad. He discussed removing the market distortion that EV mandates imposed on the auto market. EV mandates cost the industry 100 billion dollars. This is money that could have been spent on innovating cars and the industry as a whole. 

Bernie discussed allowing US automakers to collaborate on expensive new technologies to compete with Chinese Automakers. He described having Chinese cars here as a national security issue because they have cameras and would need to be connected to US infrastructure, a big risk.

The Senator discussed making more affordable cars, offering a $25000 car as Honda does. He also discussed service in the dealer franchise model. Dealers and Manufactures need to improve how they handle warranty issues for customers. 

It was a great event with many great panels. I learned a lot about the automotive industry.

I want to thank J.D. Power, NADA, and the New York International Auto Show for having me as their guest.