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rtificial intelligence is now a core part of real‑estate operations, not a luxury. In 2025, the industry’s most influential figures have been highlighted by Real Estate News as “The Ten,” chosen for their impact and reach.
In October 2022, just a month before ChatGPT’s debut, AI specialist Ayanna Howard warned leaders about Google’s forthcoming image‑generation tool. Google’s cautious rollout delayed the release, giving OpenAI a head start. ChatGPT launched on November 30, 2022, and exploded to 100 million users in two months, outpacing every other app. Real‑estate firms, already experimenting with AI, scrambled to adopt or showcase generative capabilities.
Three years later, AI is indispensable. The challenge is to move beyond hype, harness technology that advances the business while preserving the human touch that keeps real‑estate resilient amid constant change.
Early AI tools let agents create listings instantly, but they often produced “hallucinations” – fanciful descriptions of features that didn’t exist. Today, AI‑generated text, images, and videos are far more convincing. Virtual staging, once a niche service, can now be done with a click, allowing both professionals and buyers to visualize a space instantly. The line between reality and AI‑enhanced imagery blurs, as WIRED noted in October that the industry is entering an “AI slop era” with exaggerated virtual features.
Leaders must balance innovation with risk, ensuring compliance with fair‑housing laws, industry regulations, and data integrity while pursuing higher profits. Rejecting AI is increasingly untenable; even if a broker never uses a chatbot directly, AI will likely underpin lead generation and marketing behind the scenes. The internet taught us that technology permeates all aspects of life; the same will happen with AI.
Despite these advances, adoption lags. A recent survey found that 46 % of agents do not use AI, and 17 % do not plan to in the near future, risking obsolescence during a pivotal shift. Matt Britton warned at NAR NXT that “AI‑driven changes are moving so fast that the work you do in the next 90–120 days will shape the next decade of your career.”
The next wave is automation. While it may seem impersonal, automation can amplify a broker’s expertise and personality. Custom GPTs can manage lead nurturing, onboarding, and training without deep technical knowledge. Britton emphasized, “You don’t need to be an expert to do something great. Identify the most critical problems in your life and career, and let AI solve them.”
