AutoTrader, Canada’s largest and most trusted automotive marketplace, launched its ChatGPT integration, becoming the first and only Canadian automotive marketplace directly available on the AI platform. Users can now search for vehicles via AI chat using natural and intuitive language, with full support for both English and French. Built in close partnership with OpenAI, this roll-out is part of AutoTrader’s AI-first strategy, designed to evolve the marketplace to meet the needs of today’s car shoppers.

As car shopping evolves and consumer behaviour shifts, AutoTrader has long prioritized artificial intelligence to anticipate consumers’ needs. From improving search and relevance to making vehicle discovery more intuitive, the marketplace has leveraged AI to enhance the user experience and ensure buyers can easily find the cars they’re looking for. With the rise of conversational interfaces, extending the marketplace to ChatGPT was the logical next step.

Change in how Canadians shop for cars

“We’ve seen tremendous change in how Canadians shop for cars, and our focus on innovation continues to shape how we respond to these shifts in the car shopping journey,” says Justin Re, Chief Product Officer, AutoTrader. “Consumers want access to a wide range of vehicles that suit their lifestyles, and that’s exactly what they’ll find on AutoTrader, with hundreds of thousands of listings available every day. Following ChatGPT’s App Store announcement, we moved quickly to bring our marketplace to the platform, giving shoppers access to our expansive marketplace through a single, intuitive AI chat.”

Users can ask ChatGPT targeted questions during their vehicle search, whether they’re looking for a spacious SUV, a capable truck, a specific model or brand, a fuel-powered car or an EV, or availability in a particular region. Relevant listings from the AutoTrader marketplace are then displayed directly in the chat, giving shoppers a fast and easy way to begin their research. With one click, users are taken to the detailed listing pages on AutoTrader, where they can view more information and connect with the seller.

For the thousands of automotive dealers across the country who rely on AutoTrader to host their vehicle inventory, this translates to additional exposure and the ability to reach even more engaged shoppers. Now, vehicle listings will be automatically discoverable and appear in emerging search contexts, seamlessly connecting shoppers to AutoTrader as the central hub for information, comparisons, dealer inquiries, and more.

To use AutoTrader on ChatGPT, simply connect the AutoTrader app once via the ChatGPT “Apps” section and then start searching for vehicles directly through the AI chat.