Who's Innovating Without Adding AI?

[jon.berna]

I see a lot of the new products, especially this year more than most given what I've been working on. This is non-scientific, but my gut says >95% of what I have seen incorporates the most recent iteration of a company's product + AI. The AI implementations vary and of course are largely reliant on the same technologies. This will create incredible value and we'll see continued enhancements based on the foundational changes the addition of Artificial intelligence as a service (AIaaS) brings to dealership products. It's definitely enabling some cool new features.

However, and I don't want to sound like a Scrooge...but...a lot of these look and feel very similar. I'm a huge fan of progress and this is more in 1-2 years than we've seen in the last 10 but, it really got me thinking:

Who is making something totally innovative that isn't reliant on AI?

This to me feels like a noble thing and if everyone is going one way perhaps there are some out there looking to reinvent services without following the herd. I am all for gratuitous self promotion in this thread provided it's not a reference to _______ + AI = new thing.

 

[Carsten]

Good Question.

Innovative ? depends ... I am working on project I think is innovative and I'm pushing consistent 100's on light house and speeds are pretty solid. Just need to finish tying in the api for the data.

 

[joe.pistell]

"A good surgeon never lets his patient see the knife"
...and...
"A good leader never lets his customer see the AI"

I've pivoted my startup to become a LLM centered platform. My product and presentation won't talk about AI, it'll talk about business outcomes (e.g. productivity and yield).

 

[AlexCaradonna]

I spoke with Dax at Banner Insite a few weeks ago and that was really neat to see what they were working on..not necessarily brand spanking "new" but streamlines a ton of work.

 

[Netionster]

I see a lot of the new products, especially this year more than most given what I've been working on. This is non-scientific, but my gut says >95% of what I have seen incorporates the most recent iteration of a company's product + AI. The AI implementations vary and of course are largely reliant on the same technologies. This will create incredible value and we'll see continued enhancements based on the foundational changes the addition of Artificial intelligence as a service (AIaaS) brings to dealership products. It's definitely enabling some cool new features.

However, and I don't want to sound like a Scrooge...but...a lot of these look and feel very similar. I'm a huge fan of progress and this is more in 1-2 years than we've seen in the last 10 but, it really got me thinking:

Who is making something totally innovative that isn't reliant on AI?

This to me feels like a noble thing and if everyone is going one way perhaps there are some out there looking to reinvent services without following the herd. I am all for gratuitous self promotion in this thread provided it's not a reference to _______ + AI = new thing.

Although recently I started using startup directory for work and it simplified the process many times. Because with the help of artificial intelligence you can do a larger volume of work

It's true that AI has rapidly become the cornerstone of many new products, creating a wave of innovations and advancements across industries. The integration of Artificial Intelligence as a Service (AIaaS) has made features like personalization, automation, and predictive analytics not only accessible but expected in product development. While this has undoubtedly propelled progress, your point about innovation beyond AI is compelling.

Some companies and creators are indeed exploring alternatives to AI-driven solutions. For instance, there's been renewed interest in enhancing traditional systems through non-AI technologies like edge computing for real-time processing, blockchain for security and transparency, or advanced sensor integrations for IoT devices. These approaches focus on solving problems with minimal reliance on AI, prioritizing efficiency, sustainability, or decentralization.

 

[Carsten]

Another Ai fail at replying.

 

[Jon Singo]

AI in its current state is going to enable less tech-savvy people like myself to potentially create very tech-y things. While the end product itself may not tout AI as a core component, I'd be hard pressed to imagine there's much development done from here on out without the use of AI in some fashion.

 

[Carsten]

I just spent 2 days tinkering with Windsurf which is probably the best IDE for ai and programming for people that are jr dev and below.

You will get a blog up and running.
You won't get much more than that unless you are very patient, have a spec sheet that is clearly laid our and defined and still want to smash the AI's head into a wall with extreme violence.

I do use copilot and I am scheduled to try out the Amazon solution again.

A lot has improved over the last year but this is still hype like those YT drop shipping videos.

I do agree that AI is going to remove the boiler plate spirit drain. But once you get into adding features even like tacking on a turbo to your car, you really do need an experienced person driving the development.

Isn't there jokes about under the tree mechanics? It's similar here too.

 

[joe.pistell]

AI in its current state is going to enable less tech-savvy people like myself to potentially create very tech-y things

Jon,
The world’s awash with techy folks building “horizontal” (i.e. general) AI platforms, but in Auto Retail, the real power lies with domain experts like you & the DealerRefresh community. AI is a bridge that empowers non-tech-y ppl like you to build technical prototypes that techy ppl will build.

 

[joe.pistell]

Here's a sample of how important brilliant, expert minds are with our AI powered future.

AI + Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
Wherever there is repetitive data entry, AI powered RPA will be replacing hundreds of repetitive data-entry tasks. A few quick examples:

Car Dealer Benefits

• BDC: Automate lead management, scheduling, and follow-ups
• Merchandising: Automate this mess.
• Used Car Manager: UCMs are keyboard junkies, they need an AI-RPA assistant.
• Back Office: Automate repetitive data entry

Subject matter expert (SME) are required to guide AI and RPA integration. Auto dealers will see major operational improvements—faster workflows, fewer errors, and a sharper competitive edge. This targeted, SME-AI partnership transforms day-to-day operations into strategic advantages.