AI and customer data platform provider Fullpath reports total traffic to dealer websites from AI platforms increased by more than 15 times on a year-over-year basis in January.

In a release, executives say the data behind Fullpath’s Auto Intelligence Index report reflects increased familiarity among car buyers with search tools such as ChatGPT — which accounted for 89% of the AI referrals tallied by Fullpath’s U.S. dealer network — as well as increased dealership marketing budgets and tighter inventories.

“A 15x increase in AI referral traffic in a single year isn’t just a trend, it signals a fundamental behavioral shift in how consumers begin their car-buying journey,” writes co-founder and CEO Aharon Horwitz. “At the same time, days supply tells you who holds leverage in the market. As inventory rebuilds unevenly across brands, pricing power, incentive strategy and marketing investment will increasingly diverge.”

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