Commentary: Content Creation, AI, and Soon-To-Vanquished Car Brands

In this line of work, we often run into a content creator or YouTube channel that tries their best with the work they produce. Some do a fantastic job in terms of production, information, and delivery of the content. Others…not so much. 

Let me focus on those in the latter category. You can tell it is created with artificial intelligence. The voice overs are just not real. Some of the footage appeared to be “stolen” from other – and more reputable – outlets. And, their pronunciation of specific terms is a huge giveaway to their AI roots. 

This is not an indictment on AI-driven content…although, I should do something along those lines one of these days. It is about the subject matter. 

One topic specifically to discuss is the number of videos calling out which automotive brands will be eliminated in the near future here in the USA market.

There are several videos on YouTube on this topic. They proclaim that there are five brands that will go away sometime soon. Granted, some real content creators have made these videos, on top of those driven by AI. 

While watching these videos, they named up to nine brands that might go away soon in the USA. These brands include Chrysler, Fiat, Maserati, Alfa Romeo, Jaguar, MINI, Nissan, Infiniti, and Mitsubishi. 

A good number of these videos made some arguments based on numbers and facts. They cite sales figures, inventories, number of retailers, financial trajectory, and consumer trends. There are facts that back up their thesis on these brands. While facts are important to make any argument, one has to look deeper to see why these brands are not doing well in this marketplace. 

One has to wonder why half of those brands named across the YouTube automotive content universe are with Stellantis. Another three are connected with Nissan’s corporate entity. There are reasons, of course. Some of which have been explored on this website. They all point to the reasons listed in the last paragraph.

Should some of these brands simply go away? In my humble opinion…yes and no.

You heard the term before…Nissan is “too big to fail.” It is salvageable, but with some streamlining in order to do so. Perhaps to concentrate on a global lineup of products instead of localization. Maybe eliminate a brand – looking at you, Infiniti. Refocusing on what the company needs to survive and thrive later on. Perhaps spinning off Mitsubishi to another entity that could utilize their current assets?

Jaguar is being rebooted by Tata and JLR. Whether that succeeds remains to be seen. 

For BMW, MINI might be expendable. However, the Bavarians are undergoing a confusing evolution onto its own. Thank goodness they still have Rolls-Royce.

Let’s now talk Stellantis. For North America, one should ask whether it would survive with just Jeep, Ram, and Dodge. Their global management already stated that their other European-based brands are not going to join -or replace – any brands left after they start wielding the corporate ax. The loss of the Italian brands in this market might be a sad move, but perhaps it is necessary. That is up to the Paris-based management team to decide.

Of course, there are other forces at work. Tariffs. Yes, tariffs. 

The common thread for all of the brands listed above is that they will be affected by the upcoming trade tariffs one way or another. That is based on a recent pronouncement that there will be tariffs imposed on all automotive imports, along with some components and parts. 

Can it get any worse for these struggling brands? 

Let’s get back to information dissemination and delivery. How does AI really know what’s going on in the automotive industry? How do content creators know what these AI “tools” are exactly telling them to use on their videos? And, also are the voices they use real to be able to tell us the story about what’s going on in the industry?

The one thing we automotive journalists are told is to avoid using AI for our work. Utilizing this technology distorts the way we deliver our content. I’ll even go further that we even know more than the usual AI bot – thanks to interaction with sources, honest-to-God research and actual and factual data. 

Ultimately, who are you going to trust and believe? That is in your court…

I still wonder how they get their information. Speculation and imaginative thought are fine, but you have to disclaim the information you are giving out as such. Yet, if you produce content as fact, you better back it up. It is called “journalism.”

All photos by Randy Stern