Artificial intelligence seems to have permeated most every aspect of modern life, and car buying is apparently no exception, but the tech often leads to local dealer business.

Automotive classifieds website Cars.com – which itself recently launched an AI search tool named Carson – said a survey it conducted this month of recent car shoppers and buyers showed nearly half use AI search tools in their market research.

The 44% of more than 900 survey respondents who said they do so use AI to find and compare models that meet their needs; get price estimates; and answer questions about specific models, Cars.com said.

Despite the abundant use of AI in car shopping, 59% of poll participants see it as simply an entree to their larger search strategy, though 30% said they actually started and ended their research with AI.

Benefits of the technology, according to survey respondents, include time-savings – 73% cited that – to narrow down an internet’s worth of information to a limited number of possibilities.

Confidence in AI-generated results was still mixed, though a majority of shoppers who use it rely on the results. Cars.com reported 71% of participants said they trust it at least moderately for accurate, unbiased information, but 63% said they worry recommendations could be biased. Even so, just 22% who use AI for car-shopping said they would try to verify the search results.

The company said that of consumers who’ve used AI in their car searches, 41% said they’re likely to visit a cited dealership or automaker website. Most – 64% – said they’re still open to different vehicle recommendations once they stop at a dealership after researching with AI, and most want dealer-guided financing.

“A car purchase is still one of the most significant financial decisions consumers make, and they want technology that helps them navigate complexity while maintaining control,” said company Senior Director of Product Management Matt McDonald. 

“AI tools like Carson are designed to do exactly that – simplify the search process, provide trustworthy recommendations based on verified data and seamlessly connect shoppers with dealerships when they’re ready to move forward.”

The company surveyed both its own shoppers and general-market auto consumers.

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