The Reality of AI…Get Excited!

Introductory Note from John Paul Strong: If you think I am excited about the potential and power of Artificial Intelligence [AI], please read on and enjoy this insightful assessment from Michael Sundquist, our Chief Marketing Officer at Strong Automotive.

As a wonderfully nerdy kid of the ’80s, I always imagined artificial intelligence would look like a T-1000 or the curious Star Trek character Data. While we may still be a few years away from having our own C-3POs tackling chores, there’s no denying AI has seeped into our lives—perhaps more than many realize. Case in point: while Apple’s headline-grabbing “Apple Intelligence” made waves earlier this year, it seems to have gone somewhat unnoticed that Siri can now pass off tasks too advanced for her to handle to a smarter version of ChatGPT. Who knew Siri had a backup brain?

As we stand at the doorstep of a new year—a time for fresh starts and renewed efforts—it feels like the perfect moment to reflect on how we at Strong are embracing AI and what it means for the automotive world.

Productivity: AI’s Gateway Drug

First and foremost, we use AI as a productivity booster. For most businesses, this is where I’d recommend starting. Enhancing employee efficiency with AI has been one of our easier decisions this year.

Our graphics and media team – for example – no longer burns hours resizing images or blending backgrounds; AI handles the mundane so they can focus on creating jaw-dropping visuals. Similarly, our content team has seen a significant reduction in time spent on repetitive tasks like grammar checks, content duplication reviews, and brainstorming topics. By offloading these “eye-glazing” tasks to AI, we’ve not only boosted productivity but also cranked up the happiness meter. Our talented employees now focus their energy on what they love (and are best at), leaving behind the tedious, carpal tunnel-inducing work.

You might be thinking, “Well, that’s boring. Where’s the sexy AI magic?” And you’d be right—it’s not flashy, but here’s the thing: by letting AI handle the boring and mundane, we’ve freed up time to innovate, explore, and create truly impactful strategies.

Sales, Service, and Happy Customers

Imagine if your sales reps or BDC team could craft creative, personalized email and text responses to leads in a fraction of the time. Or if your service advisors could write clear, tailored messages for clients, complete with visuals or documents that demystify “mechanic-speak.” How many service declines stem from a lack of understanding? AI bridges that gap, improving communication, trust, and—ultimately—conversion rates.

AI-Driven Insights: The Scotty Moment

Now, let’s talk about what really gets the engines running. In November, we launched AI Driven, an audience-gathering tool that’s like having a virtual Sherlock Holmes tracking online behavior. Using AI, we identify anonymous users, match their online activity to their identities, and predict their intent. For our automotive clients, this means curating hyper-relevant audience sets of in-market shoppers or service customers.

In 2025, we’re taking this further. By combining this data with identity resolution tools and a system to clean dealership data, we’ll provide clients with actionable, high-quality data buckets ready for activation—whether for digital campaigns or traditional outreach.

Here’s the cool part: AI doesn’t just crunch data; it spots patterns. For example, it can identify when one of your past customers is back in the market or when they’ve moved outside your service area. And for the pièce de résistance, we’re integrating a large language model (LLM) to make querying this data as simple as asking, “Who in my customer base is ready to buy a Honda?”

AI for All

The goal? Make AI affordable and accessible for everyone – not just the big players or the risk-takers. By incorporating AI at every stage, we’ve kept costs down while driving effectiveness up.

AI may not look like a sci-fi robot just yet, but its real-world applications are transforming businesses. Whether it’s tackling the boring stuff or powering next-gen innovation, AI is here, and it’s changing the game. And honestly? We’re just getting started.