Driving the news: Cars.com $CARS ( ▲ 6.53% ) has officially launched Carson, an AI-powered search tool that lets shoppers use conversational queries instead of traditional filters to find vehicles.
For context: Carson converts natural language prompts like "reliable car for my family of 5 that won't break the bank" into targeted results. And according to Cars.com, the tool is already handling 15% of searches on the platform and generating twice as many leads as standard searches.
Why it matters: As AI search becomes standard across marketplaces, dealers will see changes in lead volume and behavior. The critical unknown is whether shoppers using AI search are more qualified and ready to act, or if having easier access to a wider range of vehicles just encourages more causal browsing.
What they’re saying: “AI has the opportunity to speed and enhance car shopping and selling,” said Matt McDonald, Senior Director of Product Management at Cars.com, Inc. “Cars.com is seeing record traffic on our marketplace this year and we aim to deliver the best online experience that helps car buyers connect with dealerships and brands and find what they’re looking for quickly.”
Matt McDonald
Big picture: The winning stores will be those that adapt digital merchandising and lead response to take advantage of the new search environment.
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