Author: Barry Hillier

Your next employee won’t need a desk

July 13, 2026

A new class of AI tools is moving from answering questions to actually doing dealership work There’s a new category of AI tool emerging that most business leaders haven’t fully grasped yet, and it’s moving quickly. It’s called AI cowork, …

The AI trap

May 7, 2026

Why your search for the “easy button” is leading you into a dead end Every dealer principal is feeling both excitement and paralysis about Artificial Intelligence. You’re told you need to be “doing AI,” and you’re just looking for an …

Handling the AI conversation

March 6, 2026

Dealers attending NADA 2026 heard AI promises everywhere. What should they take seriously now? The AI conversation in automotive accelerated rapidly in 2025. Some dealers moved quickly, others more cautiously. What mattered was whether restraint was deliberate, driven by learning, engagement, …

Our 20-year digital journey

January 22, 2026

Technology writer and entrepreneur Barry Hillier takes a look at the past two decades of digital innovation and transformation. It appears things are just starting to get interesting. Twenty years ago, when the first issues of Canadian auto dealer landed …

Headlines are getting AI all wrong

November 17, 2025

Don’t believe everything you hear about AI: the wins are real You’ve seen the headlines, likely splashed across industry reports and LinkedIn posts: “95 per cent of AI Projects Fail.”  It’s a statistic designed to grab your attention, and it works. It fuels …

Build an AI-first culture

October 10, 2025

The AI revolution is a cultural revolution: a playbook for Canadian dealers  While 81 percent of Canadian dealerships plan to boost their AI budgets in 2025, they face a two-front trust war.  Internally, 68 per cent of frontline staff worry about job displacement. …