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OpenAI Case Study Validates Podium's AI Impact as Company Launches Jerry 2.0 for Automotive, HVAC, and Medspa
Thursday, January 22, 2026
LEHI, Utah, Dec. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Podium, the leading AI conversion and communications platform for local businesses, announced the launch of Jerry 2.0, a significant leap forward in AI for the industries it serves (which include automotive, home services, and aesthetics). This release coincides with a new OpenAI case study which details how Podium leverages GPT-5.1 to create AI agents that capture demand 24/7, schedule appointments, close jobs, and follow up with customers. The result: 30% revenue lift and 45% higher conversion for Podium's customers.
Podium's agents are already influencing billions in revenue across 10,000+ rooftops and the company's AI revenue has grown 300% YOY.
A "Coachable" AI Agent
Podium's agents are top-performing off-the-shelf, but every business is different--and with Jerry 2.0, owners can fully customize their AI to communicate just like their best employee would.
"We learned that what makes a great AI employee is the same as what makes a great human employee. They're great at their job, they know your business, they know the playbooks, they follow them, and they're coachable. Every business is different, and transparency is the number one thing every single one of our customers wants in their AI employee." --Eric Rea, Co-founder and CEO of Podium
Key capabilities of Jerry 2.0 include:
-- Full Control with AI Studio: Customers have full visibility into Jerry's
"thought process," showing which policies, data, and validation checks
were performed before sending a message, making it easy for owners to
steer Jerry toward the right response.
-- 60-Second Training with Coaching Agent: Business owners can "coach"
their AI using natural language. For example, a medspa customer can
prompt, "Say 'injectable' instead of 'fillers,'" and their agent adapts
in just 60 seconds, compared to the 2-4 week retraining cycles of
traditional AI.
-- Multi-Playbook Flexibility: Jerry can decipher the right playbook for
every scenario, whether it's a service scheduling request or a trade-in
discussion, without losing context.
-- Vertical-Specific Mastery: Jerry executes specialized workflows
natively. In Automotive, he qualifies trade-ins, handles financing
questions, and schedules test drives; in HVAC, "Larry" triages emergency
repairs and requests diagnostic photos; in Medspas, "Avery" manages
consultation intake and promotional upsells, functioning as a domain
expert rather than a generalist.
OpenAI Case Study Highlights Local Business Success
The OpenAI case study explains how local businesses are treating Jerry not as software, but as a core member of their team. Many are reallocating human employees to higher-leverage roles as Jerry delivers 4.8/5-star performance across hundreds of Google reviews.
"Local businesses need AI more than anybody," explains Liam Golightley, Vice President, Automotive and Enterprise at Podium. "Roughly 40% of inquiries hit after hours. An HVAC owner estimated a single lost Saturday lead could cost tens of thousands of dollars. For these businesses, every lead matters and our AI agents ensure they never miss an opportunity."
About Podium
Podium is a software platform that deploys AI agents to help local businesses turn every conversation into revenue: text, call, or webchat. Trusted by tens of thousands of businesses across automotive, home services, medspa, and retail, Podium's AI agents capture and convert leads 24/7, driving faster response times, more appointments, and more customers. Headquartered in Lehi, Utah, and founded in 2014, Podium is currently backed by YC Continuity, Sapphire Ventures, Alkeon Capital, Recruit Co. Ltd., IVP, Accel, Summit Partners and GV.
To learn more, visit www.podium.com or contact carolyn.horner@podium.com
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/openai-case-study-validates-podiums-ai-impact-as-company-launches-jerry-2-0-for-automotive-hvac-and-medspa-302640582.html
SOURCE Podium
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