Elon Says “Hang Onto Stock”, Auto Auctions Boom, Consumers Prefer AI In Review Replies

Automotive State of The Union

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Happy Friday! Today, we’re covering how Elon rallied Tesla employees during a surprise all hands meeting last night. Plus, auto auctions have their best year since 2020 and consumers prefer AI-generated responses to reviews over those written by humans.

Show Notes with links:

Elon Musk held a surprise all-hands meeting at Tesla's Texas Gigafactory on Thursday night, reassuring employees amid a steep drop in stock value. Musk urged employees and investors to "hang on to your stock" while promoting Tesla's Cybercab and Optimus robots.
- Musk addressed Tesla’s stock drop, which has lost roughly half its value since December, attributing future success to autonomous driving and AI.
- The operations team is tasked with ramping up Cybercab production, which Musk says will use a high-speed, electronics-style manufacturing process.
- Tesla plans to build thousands of humanoid “Optimus” robots, aiming to produce "at least one legion" this year and scale up further in 2025.
- Despite recent political controversy surrounding Musk, employees avoided the topic in the Q&A session.
- Musk admitted he is "stretched pretty thin," saying “I have like 17 jobs, at this point,” managing multiple companies and government advisory roles.

The National Auto Auction Association (NAAA) reports that 2024 saw the highest number of vehicles sold at auction since 2020, marking a strong recovery for the wholesale market.
- NAAA member auctions moved nearly 7.6 million vehicles in 2024, a notable rebound.
- Of the 12 million vehicles offered, 61.3% were sold—the second-highest conversion rate ever recorded.
- The average wholesale price fell 5% to $13,921, but volume gains helped drive total sales to $105 billion.
- NAAA credits auctions as the "backbone of vehicle remarketing," offering vital services for efficient redistribution, offering logistics, reconditioning, and titling services that digital-only platforms struggle to match.
- "Our members reported year-over-year growth despite headwinds," said Larry Dixon, NAAA vice president of auction data solutions.

Who should respond to online reviews? AI or actual people? For the second consecutive year, BrightLocal’s Local Consumer Review Survey found that consumers prefer AI-generated responses over those written by humans. The study raises questions about how consumers perceive AI in customer interactions.
- In two separate tests (a restaurant in 2024 and a vet clinic in 2025), 58% of respondents preferred AI-generated responses over human-written ones.
- 89% of consumers are more likely to shop at a business that responds to reviews, while 56% hesitate if a business ignores them.
- While consumers prefer AI-written responses, 46% also say reviews "f

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.
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