Organizers of the inaugural AI Dealer Agent Conference announced that Doug Betts, president of JD Power’s Dealer Solutions division, will deliver a keynote address focused on helping agents leverage AI to make their agencies — and client dealerships — more competitive.

“Everyone in this industry is talking about AI, but most of what’s being deployed is a thin layer of LLM technology on top of thin data,” Betts says. “That’s not a competitive advantage — that’s a feature. What changes outcomes for dealers is when you combine genuinely advanced AI, specifically tools like Temporal Fusion Transformers that are purpose-built for time-series prediction, with the kind of proprietary data depth that JD Power has spent decades building.

“LLMs are cool. But that’s not the whole story — not by a long way. Those who understand the difference are going to look back on this moment the way we look back on the introduction of the PC: wondering how anyone ever managed without it.”

AIDAC will be held Sept. 9–11, 2026, at the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center in Midtown Atlanta. Betts will present “LLMs Are Cool. But Is That It? The Data Advantage Changing Automotive Retail” at 8:50 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 11.

“AIDAC’s mission is to help agents cut through the AI clutter and leave with a playbook they can take back to their agencies and dealerships, and harnessing data is an indispensable component,” says Tariq Kamal, publisher of Dealer Agent News and AI Dealer News and the event’s advisory board chair. “Doug brings the expertise and perspective we need to distill a complex topic into an actionable plan.”

Early bird pricing is available until August 9 and the event’s discounted hotel room block closes on August 19. To register and secure accommodations, visit the event’s website. For sponsorship opportunities, contact the sales director via email.