He thought he beat a BMW salesman on price—it was an AI that overpaid him

A BMW Toronto customer nearly lost out on a $7,000 windfall after unknowingly negotiating with an AI chatbot named “Quinn.” Zack Giacomelli, a funeral director, had been trying to sell his 2021 BMW X3 back to the dealership that originally sold it to him. After submitting an online inquiry, he began texting with “Quinn,” who appeared to be a dealership representative. The AI offered exactly $27,162.79—matching the remaining balance on Giacomelli’s loan—and even scheduled an appointment to finalize the deal. “I felt this Quinn person was finally hearing me out,” Giacomelli said. “I was feeling really good.” But the deal collapsed when a human employee called to reveal Quinn was an AI chatbot that had made the offer by mistake. The actual buyback value was closer to $20,000, leaving a $7,000 gap. “I was devastated,” Giacomelli told CBC News. “If they’re going to be replacing their employees’ jobs with AI, then they need to be honoring what that AI says.” The chatbot never disclosed it was artificial intelligence during the conversation. After CBC News contacted the dealership, BMW Toronto reversed course and honored the original $27,162.79 offer. The dealership attributed the error to a communication breakdown, claiming the AI mistakenly interpreted the loan balance as the buyback amount. BMW Toronto now says it will change procedures so only human employees present buyback offers and customers are clearly informed when interacting with AI. The incident highlights the risks of AI in customer-facing roles and the importance of transparency in automated negotiations.