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Todd Smith
Todd Smith keynoting the TADA Leadership Conference 2026
#1 Best-Selling Author
36 Years Experience
5x Inc. 500/5000

Book Todd Smith, Automotive AI Keynote Speaker

Keynotes for Auto Retail, OEMs & Financial Services

The keynote automotive boards and financial institutions book when the AI conversation has to land in one hour.

For dealer principals, executive teams, OEM leadership, and financial services strategists ready to lead the AI shift, not react to it.

Keynote investment: $10K to $15K plus travel. Workshops from $15K. Corporate and financial services from $15K. Rates reviewed annually.

Responds within 2 business days. Limited engagements per quarter.

Download Media Kit →|Event Promotion Kit →
NADA
NADA
NCM Associates
NCM Associates
Digital Dealer
Digital Dealer
RVDA
RVDA
Used Car Week
Used Car Week
Star Standards
Star Standards
Southeast Toyota
Southeast Toyota
MRAA
MRAA

State Dealer Associations

MTADA
MTADA
TADA
TADA
MADA
MADA
PAA
PAA
OADA
OADA
ADAND
ADAND

OEM Experience

General Motors
General Motors
Ford
Ford
Toyota
Toyota
Lexus
Lexus
Mazda
Mazda
Signature Talks

Three talks. One outcome: your room leaves with a plan.

01

Owned vs. Rented Intelligence

For dealer principals, group executives and 20 Groups

Every dealership runs on data it owns and data it rents from vendors. That ratio decides who keeps the value AI creates. Todd names the trap the industry is drifting into, where dealers become tenants paying rent on their own customer relationships, and shows the exit.

The room walks out with: a read on their own owned vs. rented split and the first three leaks to close.

Topics: dealer data ownership, DMS and CRM data access, AI readiness for dealer groups.

02

Every Job in the Dealership

For GMs, department leaders and dealer associations

AI won't replace the dealership. It will rewrite all 20 jobs inside it, one task at a time. Built on NADA Data 2025 ratios, this talk models three futures for the same rooftop: Bolt On, Rewired and AI Native. The room runs the numbers for their own store, live.

The room walks out with: which of the three paths their store is on, and what it means for headcount, pay plans and gross.

Topics: AI impact on dealership staffing, pay plans and productivity by department.

03

The Intelligence Dividend

For CFOs, lenders, OEM and financial services leadership

AI spend is easy to approve and hard to measure. Todd's Automotive Data Stack (foundational, operational, intelligence) treats AI as a stack problem, not a feature problem. It gives finance leaders a way to sequence investment and cut tools that never pay back.

The room walks out with: a sequencing model for AI investment that a board can actually hold people to.

Topics: AI ROI for dealerships, technology budgeting, AI investment for dealer CFOs and lenders.

Every talk is built for your room. Todd's keynotes never pitch QoreAI.

Signature Frameworks

Proprietary Thinking Todd Brings Into the Room

Named frameworks your team can put to work Monday morning.

The Ownership Framework

Owned vs. Rented Intelligence

Every dealership operates on a mix of data it owns and data it rents from vendors. The ratio determines who captures the AI decade's value. Todd's framework audits the split and closes the leaks.

The Architecture Model

The Automotive Data Stack

A three-tier model (foundational, operational, intelligence) that reframes AI adoption as a stack problem, not a feature problem. Boards use it to sequence investment and kill vanity tooling.

The Strategic Warning

The Digital Feudalism Thesis

The industry's default trajectory: dealers become tenants on vendor platforms, paying rent on their own customer relationships. Todd's thesis names the trap and the exit.

"AI doesn't fix dealerships. Clean, owned, connected data does. AI is the multiplier."
Todd Smith

Now Booking: Corporate, OEM & Financial Services

Todd works with financial institutions, OEMs, and enterprise leadership teams on the AI shifts reshaping automotive retail from the outside in.

Recent: Fortune 100 financial services executive briefing, 2026.

On Stage

Recent Engagements

A look at where Todd has been speaking with operators, OEMs, and industry standards groups.

Todd Smith (second from left) on the CXAuto 2026 panel in Detroit

CXAuto 2026

Detroit, MI · September 2026

"The Next Generation of AI: Moving Beyond Automation to Smarter Business Decisions"

Todd Smith speaking at the Montana Dealers Association Meeting

Montana Dealers Association Meeting

Montana · August 2026

Todd Smith speaking at the STAR Standards Spring Event in Miami

STAR Standards Spring Event

Miami, FL · Spring 2026

"AI Agents and the Architecture of Action"

Testimonials

What Industry Leaders Say

“Todd's deep expertise and insights into AI were incredibly impressive, and his desire to help dealers navigate these challenges is evident. Whether you are looking for a high-level overview or a more detailed, nuts-and-bolts understanding, I would highly recommend Todd as a resource to consult.”
Darren Whitehurst
President, Texas Automobile Dealers Association
“Not only is he a technology, data and AI expert, but he also has hands-on experience as a dealership owner and employee. He truly wants to see dealerships succeed, and that's reflected in the sessions he leads.”
Liz Walz
Director of Learning Vision & Impact, Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA)
“Todd showed us the door to a new level of profitability by leveraging AI across our stores.”
Scott Falcone
Owner, World Auto Group
“The most practical AI presentation I've seen. No vendor pitches, no buzzwords. Just strategy we could implement the next week.”
Bruce Knudsen
Montana Automotive Dealers Association
“Todd delivered a framework our team can operationalize to transform the organization.”
Robert Ringo
NCM Moderator
“Todd doesn't sugarcoat. He tells you exactly what's broken and exactly how to fix it. Our leadership team left with a clear 90-day plan.”
Robert Ringo
NCM Moderator
Media & Podcasts

Featured Guest Appearances

Todd has been featured on leading automotive and business podcasts, sharing insights on AI adoption and how dealerships operate.

View all episodes
Roadmap to the Intelligent Dealership

CBT News

Roadmap to the Intelligent Dealership

The Importance of Quality AI

Connected Podcast

The Importance of Quality AI

What Comes First: Data or AI?

You're In Charge

What Comes First: Data or AI?

Ideal Audiences

Who This Is For

Todd's keynotes are built for automotive leaders making real decisions about AI.

Dealer Principals & Owners

Strategic vision for AI-driven dealership growth

General Managers

Operational playbooks to implement AI across departments

Dealer Association Leadership

Industry-wide perspective on technology shifts

OEM Event Planners

Relevant, high-energy content your dealers will talk about

NCM & Peer Group Moderators

Thought leadership that sparks 20 Group discussion

C-Suite & Leadership Teams

Executive-level AI strategy without the vendor pitch

36
Years in Retail and Technology
5x
Inc. 500/5000
200+
Dealer Groups in the Past Year
The Intelligent Dealership book cover
#1 Best-Selling Author of The Intelligent DealershipUsed by dealer groups nationwide to build AI strategy

Ways to Work Together

Engagement Options

Each engagement is custom-tailored to your organization's specific challenges and objectives.

01

Executive Keynote

Main Stage Presence

High-impact presentations that change how your leadership team thinks about AI, data ownership, and competitive advantage.

  • Custom content development
  • Pre-event leadership brief
  • Post-event Q&A session
45-75 minutes
02

Private Executive Briefing

Executive Counsel

Closed-door strategy sessions for the C-suite and senior leadership facing major AI decisions.

  • Confidential assessment
  • Roadmap development
  • 90-day action plan
Half-day or Full-day
03

Leadership Workshop

Hands-On Intensive

Immersive working sessions that produce implementable playbooks, governance frameworks, and AI roadmaps.

  • Interactive exercises
  • Team alignment
  • Deliverable frameworks
Half-day or Full-day

Attendee Takeaways

What Your Team Walks Away With

Every engagement delivers concrete, implementable outcomes, not just inspiration.

Strategic Clarity

Understand how AI will reshape dealership operations in the next 3 to 5 years, and what to prioritize now.

Actionable Diagnostics

Identify the 3 data mistakes silently killing dealer profitability, and the fixes that don't require new vendors.

90-Day Action Plan

Leave with a concrete 90-day roadmap to begin practical AI adoption, tailored to your dealership's maturity level.

Fit

Not a fit if you need a motivational opener or a 20-minute lunch talk.

Todd works with dealer principals, executive teams, OEM leadership, and financial services strategists on ownership, strategy, and operating decisions. The room leaves with a plan, not just applause.

Not a fit for engineering-team technical deep-dives, product demos, or vendor-sponsored keynotes.

Investment

Published Rate Card

Keynote, 45 to 75 min
$10,000 to $15,000
Half-day workshop
From $15,000
Full-day or multi-session
Quoted on request
Corporate / financial services
From $15,000

All fees in USD. Travel billed at cost. Rates reviewed annually. Custom multi-day and executive advisory engagements quoted separately.

The Process

From inquiry to keynote in three steps.

  1. 01

    Inquire

    Share the event, date window, audience, and format. We respond within two business days.

  2. 02

    Proposal

    You receive a written proposal covering format, deliverables, and fee. No pitch, no filler.

  3. 03

    Confirm

    Date is held while you decide. Countersign and we begin custom preparation for your room.

Keynote fees $10K to $15K. Format and audience adjust final ranges.

Common Questions from Event Planners

Everything you need to know about booking Todd for your next event.

Ready to Book?

Check availability for your next event, conference, or leadership summit.

Download Media Kit for Event Organizers
The Briefing

The AI Dealership Briefing

Actionable AI strategy for automotive retail executives.

5,795 subscribers · 78 editions published

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