The auto industry is changing fast - and dealerships that ignore AI will be left behind. The Auto Dealer's Practical AI Pocket Playbook: 2026 Edition cuts through the hype and delivers a no-nonsense guide to how artificial intelligence and automation are transforming every corner of automotive retail, from inventory and inspections to sales, marketing, F&I, and compliance.
Written by Bradley Barkhurst, Author of Power Shift AI: Shifting Auto Dealerships into the Future and Founder & CEO of Power Shift AI - the Columbus, Ohio-based AI and automation consulting firm dedicated exclusively to auto dealerships - this playbook was built for the dealer principal, general manager, or operations leader who does not have time for theory. You need a quick read with practical answers, real tools, and a clear path forward.
If you have ever asked yourself: Will AI replace my staff? Will connecting it to my existing systems play havoc with my operations? Will it cost a fortune and deliver nothing? Will it make my dealership feel robotic and damage the brand I have spent years building? - this book was written for you. Those fears are real, they are valid, and every one of them is addressed head-on inside these pages.
Inside you will find a plain-English breakdown of how AI actually works, the four types of machine learning and how dealerships are using them today, a three-tier AI adoption framework drawn from NADA 2026, a full dealership readiness assessment, real vendor and platform recommendations, a chapter on automated workflows and APIs, and an implementation roadmap you can adapt to your store.
Every dealership is different. Every market is different. Power Shift AI's approach has always been to listen first - to understand your specific challenges before recommending any solution. This book reflects that same philosophy: no one-size-fits-all answers, just the knowledge and frameworks you need to make smart decisions for your business.
The AI era is not coming. It is here. This is your guide to it.
Written with the help of AI.
