Artificial intelligence adoption among estate agents remains uneven, with a majority using the technology primarily for low-stakes tasks rather than core transactional processes, according to a recent survey. The study, conducted by customer relationship management firm Alto, polled 250 agents and found that 69% incorporate AI tools into their daily or regular workflows. However, these applications are largely confined to four areas: generating property descriptions (used by 67% of respondents), drafting client emails (53%), handling administrative duties (37%), and managing marketing or social media content (35%).
Usage drops sharply when moving beyond these functions. Only 10% of agents apply AI to property valuations, while just 5% use it for anti-money laundering compliance checks. The most significant gap appears in sales progression, the critical phase of guiding transactions from accepted offers to completion, where AI adoption stands at just 4%. This pattern indicates that most agents view AI as a supplementary marketing tool rather than an integral part of the sales process.
Despite industry-wide calls for greater operational efficiency, particularly in areas that impact completion rates and client satisfaction, most agents have yet to expand AI’s role beyond content creation. A minority of respondents, about one-fifth, do employ AI for broader purposes, including handling after-hours inquiries, identifying potential sellers, and compliance tracking. Yet the majority continue to prioritize repetitive, non-critical tasks over workflows that directly influence sales success.
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Skepticism about AI implementation persists among agents. Seventy-six percent express concerns about losing personal client relationships through over-reliance on automation, while 64% fear potential errors in AI-generated outputs. Nevertheless, half of those surveyed plan to increase their AI-related spending within the next 12 months, reflecting a cautious but growing willingness to experiment with the technology.
Riccardo Iannucci-Dawson, Alto’s CEO, highlighted the disparity in adoption patterns.