How to train AI to be your teammate, not replacement

Artificial intelligence isn’t just a tool — it’s your next team member. And if you’re not already working with it, you’re falling behind.

That was the message from Trent Gillespie, CEO of Stellis AI and former head of Amazon’s global growth, delivery innovation and Alexa AI privacy, during his keynote at Auto Care Connect in Phoenix. His session, Unlock Growth with AI in the Auto Care Industry, urged automotive aftermarket leaders to stop waiting and start building AI into their businesses now.

“AI is a helper, not an email writer,” Gillespie told the crowd. “Think of it as a professional assistant.”

He emphasized that AI works best when it’s used consistently and with clear direction. That means using it daily, not just once a year.

“You need consistent inputs and outputs,” he said. “Be specific: Why and what you want it to do.”

Gillespie encouraged companies to rethink how they structure their operations. Instead of trying to squeeze AI into existing workflows, he said businesses should design processes as if AI were a full-time employee from Day One.

“Each of you have a team made up of humans and robots,” he said. “You can build and train them, give them direction for what you want.”

But he warned against relying too heavily on automation without human oversight.

“AI isn’t the danger — the absence of human insight is the threat,” he emphasized.

One of the biggest barriers to progress, he said, is leadership alignment.

“I haven’t seen a management team that is on the same page with AI,” he noted. “That means they’re not moving forward to the best of their ability.”

Instead of reacting to AI, Gillespie urged businesses to lead with it.

“It’s a business transformation,” he said. “Educate leaders. Design your company for AI-enabled customers. What do they want in an AI-enabled world?”

He also cautioned against outsourcing what matters most. In the aftermarket, where customer relationships are often seen as a core strength, Gillespie said, “don’t outsource customer relations to AI.”

He closed with a quote in order to challenge to the industry: “The bold aren’t waiting for it to happen to them. They are using it to reinvent what is possible.”

His advice: You don’t need to be perfect at it but you do need to take that first step.

Image credit: Depositphotos.com