Industry Pathway
Session 1
Monday, Dec. 7, 12:00 - 12:45 pm
Cutting Through the AI Hype: What Marine Dealers Actually Need to Know
With Allison Miller
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AI is everywhere in 2026: your vendors are using it, your software is shipping it, and a hundred new tools are knocking on your door. But what's actually worth your attention as a dealer?
This session cuts through the noise. Allison Miller walks dealers through a vendor-neutral landscape of AI in dealership operations: how the vendors you already work with use AI behind the scenes, what AI features within dealer software actually do, and where dealers themselves are getting real ROI from AI tools they deploy directly.
You'll leave with a practical evaluation framework, two to three starter use cases sized to dealerships of any maturity, and a 90-day plan to test AI without betting the business on it. No hype, no pitch, just a clear map of where AI fits in your world.
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Distinguish the three layers of AI in their dealership ecosystem: AI used internally by their vendors, AI features embedded in the products they already buy, and AI tools they can deploy directly.
Evaluate AI claims and features from vendors using a practical checklist that separates real capability from marketing language.
Identify two to three high-leverage, low-risk AI use cases appropriate for their dealership's size, staff, and current tech maturity.
Build a 90-day starter plan to test, measure, and decide on AI adoption without committing to large investments or organizational disruption.
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As a VP of Innovation at Integrated Dealer Systems (IDS), Allison Miller leads enterprise innovation to drive business results. She aligns learning strategy with product, sales, and growth initiatives, ensuring teams have the product knowledge, industry insight, and capabilities needed to execute effectively. Known for connecting strategy to execution, Allison champions continuous learning, sales enablement, and cross?functional collaboration.
Register for Dealer Week
Dealer Week 2026 brings new sessions, new speakers and new ideas on The New Fundamentals. This year’s education is centered around the foundations of modern dealership success: AI adoption, rising customer expectations, and operational efficiency.