Back in the day, car buyers decided what vehicle to buy after reading brochures and visiting dealerships. Now, according to a few automotive executives, data shows a growing number of customers have a third way of picking their next ride: Asking an AI language model.During a panel at the 50th Automotive News Congress, held starting Tuesday, Sept. 29, in downtown Detroit, three auto industry leaders described how AI is affecting the car-buying journey.The panelists were: Olivier Francois, the former marketing chief at Stellantis; Karen Lellouche Tordjman, a managing director and senior partner at Boston Consulting, and Joe Shaker, the principal dealer at Shaker Auto, an automotive dealership chain in New England.Among those experts – an advertiser, a dealer and a consultant – one message was clear: More and more car buyers will turn to AI for information about their next purchase.1 / 15An inside look at Chrysler Tech Center in Auburn HillsA cafeteria area at Chrysler Technology Center is seen in Auburn Hills, Monday, Sept. 21, 2026.About 30% of car buyers have "used AI in their customer journey," said Lellouche Tordjman. "And this number is going to increase over time."New 'Stang: 2026 Ford Mustang Dark Horse SC that I drove cost $156K. It's worth itA V-10 ... in a Lincoln? How 2 Ford engineers put a V-10 and a stick shift into a LincolnFrancois, a long-time Stellantis official who just recently left his post as the automaker's top advertising executive and the CEO of Fiat, said this change is already influencing the way Stellantis – the parent company of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram – is advertising to customers. No longer is the automaker emphasizing advertising one specific vehicle – now, the goal is to advertise the brand en masse and hope some buyers influenced by brand-focused ads choose to use AI to decide which model in a Stellantis brand lineup is best for them.Stellantis Strategic Adviser Olivier Francois, second from left, said as customers turn to AI to buy cars, the automaker's advertising strategy has shifted. Francois sat on the panel with Karen Lellouche Tordjman, third from left, and car dealer Joe Shaker, right. The panelists answered questions posed by Dan Shine, a senior editor at Automotive News.Francois, who is now a strategic adviser at Stellantis, hopes the company can convince buyers to change their approach to AI car shopping. Instead of asking a language model, for example, "What is the best SUV for me?" Francois said, he hopes powerful, emotive advertising can lead customers to ask "What is the best Jeep for me?"To change this approach, though, traditional, focused advertising has to remain a priority, Francois said in an interview with the Detroit Free Press after the panel."In order to do that, I need to own the imagination, the emotion, the cultural relevance, the brand equity," Francois said.Indeed, Francois is no stranger to making influential ads.In 2011, he took a $20 million risk on a Super Bowl ad featuring a Chrysler 200 "Imported from Detroit," which put Detroit Rapper Eminem behind the wheel of the Chrysler 200. The ad resulted in a 6,000% sales surge for the vehicle, Francois said — something that would have never happened in the age of AI.Nowadays, the company is beginning to shift away from advertising just one model and instead emphasizing the overall brand's identity. Still, Francois said, big-time ads during major sporting events need to be artistic and moving – but the goal has shifted from selling a car to selling a brand identity."AI is going to force us to continue to do great ads," Francois said.Liam Rappleye covers Stellantis and the UAW for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him: [email protected].