Artificial intelligence remained a dominant theme at Inman Connect New York on Wednesday, and the packed Grand Ballroom revealed that, for the most part, the crowd wasn’t feeling any AI fatigue.
Rather than leaning into fear or hype, agents and tech leaders took a refreshingly grounded approach: AI should make agents more human, not less. But there were a few warnings, mainly that agents need to adjust to AI or risk getting left behind.
James Harris, of Carolwood Estates and Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing LA, said most agents don’t consider themselves tech-savvy. But the reality is that nearly everyone is already using AI, even if they don’t realize it.
“Our industry is so fragmented that we may think AI hasn’t fully arrived yet, but it’s already here,” he said. “Our clients are now AI-native. If we’re not ahead of them, we’ll fall behind.”
Harris introduced the audience to Breezy, a new AI operating system app he’s been building for the past two years. “I’m not a tech guy. I’m a lunatic real estate agent,” he joked. “But I know what agents need. I wanted an operating system for agents: comps, notes, tasks and proprietary data all in one place.”
The product announcement also includes Underbuilt, a proprietary data platform that reveals the building potential of residential properties. Harris called it a game-changer.
Harris emphasized that AI isn’t about shortcuts, no matter how useful and powerful the tools are. “Use it to be more efficient, not lazy,” he warned. “This is a people business. The more AI we use, the more we have to sound human.”
If AI can’t find you, new clients won’t either
In a separate session, Jeff Lobb, founder of SparkTank Media, gave a sharp warning: AI search is already changing how clients find agents, and most agents aren’t ready.
“We used to fight to be on the first page of Google,” he said. “Now, consumers are asking AI for the best luxury agent in Miami or New York. If you’re not showing up in those answers, you don’t even know you’re losing business.”
According to Lobb, 37 percent of consumers are already using AI to search instead of Google. Tools like ChatGPT summarize results rather than showing clickable links, so agents need to rethink where and how they appear.
“AI is scanning everything and searching for digital breadcrumbs,” said Lobb. “Your website, your blog content, your social posts, your reviews. It’s all fair game.”
That includes the language used in client testimonials. While agents once relied on a flood of five-star Zillow reviews that may or may not be genuine, Lobb warned that today’s AI tools are more discerning and carefully parse the language of each review.
“We worked with a brokerage that ranked in the top seven in their market during an AI search, which was great,” he said. “But then a follow-up prompt pulled in an old Yelp review that described some of their agents as ‘creepy and stalker-like.’ It surfaced all because of one buried review.”
For Lobb, it was an interesting lesson in AI search. “In a world of fake reviews, clarity wins,” he said.
To stay visible in AI-driven search, he recommends several strategies. Publish “answerable” blog content with clear headlines like “Is Now a Good Time to Buy in Austin?” or whatever your market may be. Repurpose content and turn blogs into videos and transcripts for YouTube. And ensure all social profiles are consistent and AI-search-friendly.
“Ask AI what the top 20 questions are in your market,” he said. “Then go answer them. If AI doesn’t know you exist, your next client won’t either.”
Lobb’s final warning: Don’t become the next BlackBerry.
“They didn’t evolve when consumers did,” he said. “If we wait too long, we’ll be playing catch-up in a whole new world.”
