Proptech companies and industry leaders have pitched artificial intelligence as a technology that could transform everything from lead generation to transaction management. Depending on who you ask, it’s either the biggest opportunity agents have ever seen or an existential threat to the profession.
But beyond the hype, a more important question remains: What’s actually happening on the ground?
To find out, Inman spoke with agents and industry professionals across the country about how they’re using AI, where it’s delivering real value and where it’s falling short. Many were eager to share their opinions, and their answers were less dramatic than the headlines, but far more consequential.
To sum it up: AI isn’t replacing agents, but it is rapidly reshaping how they work, and raising expectations for everyone.
The clearest use case: saving time
For most agents, AI’s biggest impact isn’t futuristic automation. It’s efficiency.
Cody Schuiteboer, president and CEO of Best Interest Financial, said one of the most practical applications is lead qualification. Instead of chasing hundreds of inbound inquiries, agents can use AI tools to prioritize the prospects most likely to transact.
“That’s been one of the clearest use cases so far,” he said. “It’s about working smarter, not replacing the agent.”
Agents are using AI to write listing descriptions, draft emails, generate social media content and analyze market data, essentially offloading the kind of repetitive work that used to eat up hours each week.
“It’s becoming a virtual assistant,” said Ben Mizes, a licensed agent and co-founder of Clever Offers. “It’s taking the admin work off their plates so they can focus on negotiating and relationship-building.”
Tim Gaasch, a real estate specialist and vice president of account management at Clever Offers, described a similar shift. Tasks that once consumed large chunks of his day are now handled in minutes.
“I’m creating more refined marketing materials in less time,” he said, noting that AI has also made client conversations more data-driven.
Ryan Fitzgerald, a Realtor and owner of Raleigh Realty in North Carolina, said the time savings are real, even if the transformation isn’t as dramatic as some vendors suggest.
“I do use AI daily,” he said, “but I’m not sure I’m using it in the game-changing way the vendors are promising.”
Like many agents, he’s using tools like ChatGPT and Claude for writing, editing and idea generation. The result is simple but meaningful: less time spent on routine tasks, more time available for clients.
Alexei Morgado, a South Florida Realtor and founder of Lexawise Real Estate Exam Prep, said much of his use of AI happens before he ever picks up the phone. By analyzing data upfront, he can approach conversations with a clearer sense of what buyers and sellers actually want.
“AI allows me to focus on those situations,” he said, referring to negotiations and client-facing moments. “Buyers still want real negotiations and someone who can read the room.”
Reclaiming hours, reinvesting in clients
Robert Hryniewicki of HRLS Partners at TTR Sotheby’s International Realty said he is always looking for more ways to harness the power of AI in his business.
“When you break down the day-to-day responsibilities of a luxury real estate agent, outside of client-facing business, most tasks are reactionary or trigger-based,” Hryniewicki told Inman via email. “Because of that, AI has become an incredibly powerful tool for us to systematize what needs to happen, when it needs to happen, and how it gets executed.”
Hryniewicki said his team uses custom AI systems built by their Director of Operations, Peter Calomeris, to boost speed, efficiency, and accuracy while maintaining a white-glove client experience.
These tools help them quickly generate market analyses and are evolving to produce complete contract documents in minutes. Calomeris has also trained AI on their past marketing so it can draft on-brand content with minimal editing.
“Ultimately, AI allows us to reclaim dozens of hours throughout the year, which we can reinvest directly into our clients,” Hryniewicki said.
The promise vs. the reality
If AI is delivering clear gains in efficiency, it may also be falling short of many of the industry’s boldest claims.
Schuiteboer said the gap between what vendors promise and what actually works is still significant. In one case, an agent tested a platform that claimed it could generate $50,000 a month in new business. Instead, it produced hundreds of unqualified leads, creating more work, not less.
That skepticism runs deep. Erik Leland, a broker at Realty First, said bluntly: “Most of it is hype.” In his view, many “AI-powered” products are little more than existing tools with a chatbot layered on top.
Fitzgerald sees the same trend. “‘AI-powered’ is now the buzzword for every proptech vendor,” he said, even when the underlying technology hasn’t changed much.
For Leland, the biggest red flag is when companies position AI as a replacement for agents rather than a support tool. “I’m not comfortable handing off clients to a bot,” he said. “Clients want to know they are working with a real person.”
The conversation around artificial intelligence in real estate often swings between extremes. Some see it as overhyped, while others frame it as an existential threat to agents. But for others in the industry, the reality is more grounded and practical.
“Neither,” Hryniewicki said when asked whether AI is hype or a threat. “AI is one of the greatest opportunities for high-volume teams and solo agents alike to free up time currently spent on repeatable, non-client-facing tasks.”
Rather than replacing agents, AI is increasingly being used to streamline the operational side of the business. That shift, agents say, is where the real value lies. AI isn’t changing what makes a successful agent — it’s giving them more time to lean into it.
“AI isn’t something to be threatened by in real estate; it’s a tool that amplifies what great agents already do well,” Hryniewicki said. “The core of this business is still relationship-driven.”
