3 Things to Avoid When Using AI as a Realtor®

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool for Realtors®, from creating engaging social media content to writing enticing listing descriptions. However, AI isn’t perfect. Here are three things Realtors® should avoid when using AI to leverage their business. 

1. Giving Away Personal Information 

Realtors® have access to a great deal of their clients’ personal, private information, including their full names, social security numbers, driver’s license numbers, financial account numbers, credit and debit card information and more. 

AI is powered by data – including the data it collects from users. OpenAI, ChatGPT’s parent company, says their models “are developed using three primary sources of information: (1) information that is publicly available on the internet, (2) information that we partner with third parties to access and (3) information that our users or human trainers and researchers provide or generate.” 

That said, entering clients’ personal or sensitive information into ChatGPT or any AI model puts that information at risk of being collected and used elsewhere. 

Read more about personal information and data breaches here. 

2. Failing to Review AI-Generated Content 

AI isn’t always right. Because it generates content using pre-existing content, the content generated may not always be factually correct, ethically correct or legally compliant. It’s important for Realtors® to review all AI-generated content before posting or using it elsewhere to avoid sharing false or troublesome content. 

Additionally, AI can be biased, and models can perpetuate discrimination. From AI programs that screen tenants and buyers to steering buyers through AI-generated listing descriptions, it’s crucial for Realtors® to ensure the AI programs they’re using are not generating content that violates fair housing practices. 

3. Counting on AI for Everything 

AI can be incredibly helpful in some areas of business and less helpful in others. Realtors® should consider the ways they can leverage AI to increase success, but it’s also important to consider the things AI cannot accomplish. 

For example, over-reliance on AI technologies can result in fewer personal, genuine interactions with clients. This can hurt Realtors® and their businesses, as real estate is a relationship-driven business that depends on personal interaction. 

Additionally, AI’s wide array of data may not be beneficial for generating real estate content at the local level, as it may lack the nuanced insights and context that only a Realtor® familiar with the local area and its market can share. 

An article published by Forbes adds that AI in real estate may increase the risk of cultural homogenization – that is, a reduction of cultural diversity. It says, “As AI outputs draw from vast datasets, they may overshadow the unique stories and preferences that define local markets and communities. In real estate, where location, history and culture are paramount, this homogenization could erode the richness that makes each property and market unique.”