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This episode of Auto Collabs gets seriously smart as Paul, Kyle, and Michael welcome Sanjay Varnwal, founder of Spyne. With a background that includes time at Amazon and deep roots in AI-driven product development, Sanjay shares his journey from general e-commerce merchandising to building ultra-specialized solutions for the auto industry. His company’s obsession with perfection—like making sure side mirrors don’t vanish in digital photos—isn’t just nerdy, it’s the kind of tech precision that can radically improve dealer efficiency and customer experience.

Sanjay also breaks down the evolution of agentic AI—technology that doesn't just talk, but acts on behalf of dealers to optimize pricing, image performance, and even ad budgets. It’s the next level of automation, where your digital teammate gets smarter (and more autonomous) over time. Whether you're deep in the tech weeds or just trying to understand how AI can lighten the load in your dealership, this convo offers sharp insights and a clear look at what’s next.

Takeaways:

0:00 – 🎙️ Intro banter: Meta Ray-Bans, Weezer dreams & Wiggles hype

1:48 – 💡 Introducing Sanjay Varnwal from Spyne

2:28 – 🤖 Sanjay’s first AI experience at Amazon Go

3:39 – 🧠 How AI’s been around long before 2022

5:02 – 🎥 The evolution of AI in media and merchandising

7:40 – 🔄 How AI is changing human behavior and productivity

9:45 – 🚗 Why Spyne focused on auto merchandising

11:30 – 🛠️ From general e-commerce to auto-specific solutions

13:05 – 📸 Solving hard problems: lighting, stabilization & studio-quality images

15:46 – 🪞 The vanishing mirror problem and how Spyne fixed it

17:40 – 🧑‍💻 Building an AI-powered teammate for dealers

19:04 – 🧭 What is agentic AI and why it matters

20:25 – 📊 Real-time merchandising optimization and ad performance

21:01 – ⚙️ Letting AI handle repeatable, data-driven tasks

21:40 – 🙌 Final thoughts and future of AI in automotive

Connect with Sanjay Varnwal at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanjaykv/

Learn more about Spyne at https://www.spyne.ai

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