The short answer is yes—but not immediately, and not without some important qualifications.
Anyone paying attention to the rapid development of artificial intelligence can sense that meaningful change is approaching and approaching quickly. Even casual users of AI tools recognize how quickly the technology is evolving. Professionals who spend their workdays analyzing data, processing information, and communicating with clients increasingly ask a simple question before beginning almost any task: Can artificial intelligence help with this?
Often, the answer is yes.
Recently, while discussing the renovation of a commercial building with a client, we wondered what the property might look like after certain improvements. Within seconds, an AI system showed the upgraded building. Moments later, the same system produced rough renovation cost estimates and a preliminary pricing memo. Tasks that once required days of research and consultation were completed in minutes.
Experiences like this are becoming common across many industries, and real estate will not be immune to this technological shift.
In fact, the industry is already experiencing structural change. One of the most significant developments in recent years involved federal antitrust litigation against the National Association of Realtors regarding commission practices within the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). In Burnett v. National Association of Realtors (W.D. Mo. 2023), a federal jury concluded that certain industry rules related to buyer-agent commissions could restrain competition. Following the verdict and related litigation, NAR agreed in 2024 to a nationwide settlement exceeding $418 million and adopted new rules affecting how commissions are communicated through MLS systems. At the same time, the U.S. Department of Justice has continued examining brokerage practices across the country.
For decades, the MLS system helped structure cooperation between brokers by allowing listing agents to offer compensation to buyer agents. As those rules evolve, one of the traditional pillars supporting the brokerage model has begun to weaken.
Another traditional role of real estate agents has been pricing property. Yet it is becoming increasingly difficult to argue that human judgment alone can outperform modern data systems. Artificial intelligence can analyze thousands of comparable sales, neighborhood characteristics, economic indicators, and pricing trends within seconds. Automated valuation models continue to improve, and as their accuracy increases, consumers will place greater confidence in these systems.
At the same time, buyers and sellers now have unprecedented access to real estate information. Online platforms such as Zillow, Redfin, and Realtor.com allow consumers to examine listing histories, review neighborhood statistics, estimate property values, and even take virtual tours of homes—often without ever speaking to an agent. Much of the information that was once required for a professional intermediary is now available directly to the public.
Looking ahead, it is not difficult to imagine the next stage in the evolution of the real estate marketplace. A fully integrated AI platform could allow property owners to list homes directly while buyers enter detailed search preferences. The system could instantly match buyers and sellers based on price, location, and property characteristics. Showings could be scheduled automatically, and self-guided tours could become routine. Agents might enter the process later, assisting primarily with negotiations, legal matters, or complex transactions.
In such a system, artificial intelligence would perform many of the routine tasks currently handled by agents. Listing distribution, buyer searches, comparative market analysis, marketing materials, and document preparation could all be automated.
However, the disappearance of real estate agents is unlikely to occur overnight.
Real estate transactions involve large financial commitments, legal complexity, and emotional decision-making. Many buyers and sellers still value experienced guidance when making one of the most important financial decisions of their lives. Negotiation skills, local market knowledge, and the ability to manage complicated transactions remain in areas where experienced professionals can add real value.
The challenge for agents is not to resist technology but to adapt to it.
Those who learn to use artificial intelligence as a tool—while strengthening their negotiation skills, local expertise, and advisory roles—will continue to find opportunity. Those who ignore it may eventually discover that the profession they once knew has changed beyond recognition.
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