Dealers may not need to wait for AI to completely transform the car-buying process before putting the technology to work. Chris Hudson, General Manager of Mark Miller Subaru, joins today’s CBT Live segment to break down the lessons from his first AI-to-AI transaction, which are already influencing how his dealership handles workflow, data, customer interactions, and the future of digital retailing.
While the first AI-to-AI transaction showed what was possible, it also revealed that the necessary infrastructure connecting buyers, dealers, and AI agents isn’t built yet. To address this, Hudson is developing an agentic dealer network to simplify AI model access to clean dealership inventory data. Ultimately, he envisions enabling direct transactions through AI assistants without requiring shoppers to call or visit a dealership website.
The immediate opportunity for dealers lies within internal operations. At Mark Miller Subaru, Hudson said the dealership has created more than 100 AI-powered workflow solutions after asking staff to identify daily friction points. Rather than positioning AI as a tool to replace employees, the dealership is using it to remove repetitive friction and make individual jobs easier. Hudson said the dealership is using AI for sales and service communication, reception support and other common applications while building more customized tools internally.
Ultimately, Hudson expects dealerships to need more in-house technical expertise as AI advances. Partnering with the CTO to develop custom tools alongside technology vendors, Mark Miller Subaru has cut over $100,000 in annual vendor costs, but he adds that AI will enhance pricing transparency for consumers, shifting the dealership experience from negotiation to guidance.
