Dealers demand more practical AI as generic tools fall short

Dealers demand more practical AI as generic tools fall short Marcus Amick84% of dealers surveyed said they “often” or “almost always” fail to get what they need from generic AI tools. (3 min. read)Daily NewsApr 14, 2026Dealers’ interest in AI has evolved from broad excitement about the technology to a need for more targeted, practical business applications.The details: A recent Lotlinx survey of approximately 215 dealership executives across the U.S. highlights a significant gap between general-purpose AI tools like ChatGPT and actionable AI that can improve key retail operations.84% of dealers surveyed said they “often” or “almost always” fail to get what they need from generic AI tools.66% of executives said they are not confident that general AI understands their business operations.87% of respondents found the concept of an inventory-specific AI advisor “extremely” or “very” appealing.56% of dealers said their most critical need is a “better understanding of data and inventory risk” to maximize ROI.Why it matters: Interest in AI is strong, but value will depend on whether the technology can solve real dealership problems. Tools that help stores better manage inventory, risk, and profitability are likely to matter far more than broad-use platforms that produce generic outputs.Between the lines: Dealer use of generative AI, the type of artificial intelligence that creates new content, including text, images, code, audio, and video, also underscores the need for more spec...