I
n the shifting terrain of real estate, the advantage may lie not with the most flamboyant salesperson but with the agent who speaks fluently to machines. Colorado‑based eXp Realty broker Adam Gillespie has built his practice on that premise, offering AI ethics and efficiency training to his peers. As founder of Apex Elite AI and a lecturer in eXp University’s AI Accelerator Series, Gillespie pushes agents to rethink their workflows.
During a HousingWire interview, Gillespie and other insiders urged colleagues to adopt AI before it becomes a relic of novelty. “We must market ourselves,” he said, recalling how his musical and marketing background dovetailed with brokerage work. “Back in 2004, I automated MySpace posts for my band. Real estate feels the same—marketing is the core.”
He noted that many agents excel at selling but falter in marketing, accounting, or administration. “AI won’t replace us; it will free us from routine tasks while we remain the human touch in pricing and relationships,” he explained.
When ChatGPT opened to the public in November 2022, Gillespie seized the moment. He earned certifications in machine learning, large‑language models, and prompt engineering, then integrated those tools into every facet of his business. “AI is now my partner,” he said, “handling the heavy lifting so I can focus on client interaction.”
Beyond flashy marketing, Gillespie highlighted AI’s practical problem‑solving. In one instance, a zoning change threatened a deal. He used AI to scrape county zoning manuals, drafted an email to the appraiser, and secured a revised appraisal that kept the transaction on track. He also leverages AI to profile agents’ DISC personalities, tailoring negotiation tactics and fostering collaboration. “It’s eliminated the competitive stigma,” he remarked, “and amplified partnership.”
Real‑estate coach Darryl Davis stressed that broker‑owners and team leaders must champion AI adoption. “Agents are still figuring out how to use it,” he said. “Most rely on it for property descriptions, but the potential is far greater.” Davis argues that gradual, example‑driven uptake yields lasting change. “If one agent starts, two follow, and before you know it the whole office is using it,” he observed. He recommends setting measurable goals and pushing toward 80 % adoption, noting that once 55 % is reached, the remaining 25 % will naturally follow.
Davis has even created “Digital Darryl,” an AI replica of himself. By uploading his audio programs, books, and blog posts, he built a virtual coach that agents can role‑play with or seek pep talks from when morale dips.
Vendor selection, governance, and transparency remain critical. Sharon Love‑Bates, National Association of Realtors’ director of emerging technology, advises due diligence. “Verify the vendor’s reputation, longevity, privacy safeguards, and integration with your existing CRM and lead‑management tools,” she said. She warned of AI hallucinations and the need for agents to remain accountable for the data they share. “You must validate information, protect client privacy, and enforce firm policies,” she added. With regulatory frameworks still evolving, internal guidelines are essential.
All three experts anticipate a shift toward autonomous “agentic AI” systems—tools that execute tasks automatically. Gillespie acknowledges the looming arrival of AGI in the mid‑2030s but believes real‑estate’s subjectivity keeps human agents indispensable. Love‑Bates sees the next leap as moving from copilot to autopilot: automating marketing, audience targeting, multi‑channel publishing, and analytics, yet still requiring human oversight for approval and validation. Davis echoes that AI should be a partner, not a replacement. “ChatGPT won’t show properties or conduct appointments; it should strengthen client relationships,” he said.
The consensus is that a precise roadmap for AI in real estate is elusive. “Technology accelerates exponentially—one plus one is two, two plus two is four, four plus four is eight,” Davis mused. “Even in two years, the changes will be astronomical.”
