Where does AI's role end and calculating car ownership costs begin? Paweł Mamcarz discusses this with Krzysztof Jakubik in CRN's “AI in practice” series. The Polish interview, titled “AI czyta dane, ale obliczenia robią algorytmy”, appears in the September 2026 issue, CRN 9/2026, on pages 50–51.
Here is a short overview of the main points. Read the full interview in Polish in CRN 9/2026 on the publisher's website.
AI helps read data; it does not replace the calculator
Price lists, reports and offers come in different formats. AI can help organise them. Calculating ownership costs is a separate task: the result should follow from defined inputs, assumptions and mathematical operations, not an answer generated by a language model.
The purchase price is only the beginning
The discussion explains why the full ownership period matters. Depreciation, fuel or electricity, insurance, maintenance and financing can change how two offers compare. A useful comparison needs the same mileage and period, not just prices or monthly payments.
A forecast is still a forecast
Future fuel prices and resale values are uncertain. Scenarios help explore the consequences of different assumptions, but do not guarantee costs. Human checks of sources and unusual data are equally important.
The interview describes the approach to building the service; it is not an independent audit of model accuracy. Our TCO methodology explains the current rules and limitations.
Open the calculator and check your own scenario using your mileage, ownership period and actual offer terms.