A survey of brokerage leaders found that artificial intelligence tools are no longer “curiosities” but have become an integral part of “the average agent’s daily workflow.”
Important points:
- A Delta Media Group survey of major brokerage firms found that 97% of agents said they were using AI tools, up from 80% in 2024.
- Most companies employ this technology to help create content such as listing descriptions and marketing copy.
- At the same time, more leaders reported being “very concerned” about AI, citing risks around data privacy, compliance, and integration.
When ChatGPT was released in late 2022, it quickly became one of the most popular consumer software applications of all time. For real estate professionals, it’s been touted as a time-saving tool for content creation, and it didn’t take long for agents to take advantage of it.
Just over a year after ChatGPT debuted, a Delta Media Group survey of large brokerage firms found that nearly 80% of agents at these brokerages have deployed AI tools primarily to assist with content creation.
At the time, Delta Media Group CEO Michael Minard highlighted the challenges of AI. AI is already here and advancing rapidly. Those who don’t embrace AI will be left behind. But Minard cautioned that the potential for bias and general lack of guardrails should give us pause, saying, “I think the industry as a whole is woefully unprepared for the reality of AI.”
Adopting near-ubiquitous artificial intelligence
So what now?
Delta Air Lines today announced its third annual Real Estate AI and Leadership Study. Almost everyone is using AI in some way, even if they’re not ready for it. Of the more than 100 brokerage leaders surveyed (a group representing companies responsible for more than two-thirds of U.S. real estate transactions, according to Delta), 97% said their agents use AI.
“Over the past three years, we have seen AI move from a curiosity to a capability and become embedded in the average agent’s daily workflow,” Minard said of the latest report. “The question in 2026 is how to ensure that brokerages can use AI accurately, responsibly, and in a way that provides real value to both agents and consumers.”
Here’s what’s changed (and what hasn’t changed) since Delta Air Lines first surveyed brokerages for AI implementation in 2024.
Leaders recognize the growing importance of AI. Nearly all companies now have AI tools in place, with only 4% not yet implementing the technology, compared to 22% two years ago, and just 2% of brokerage leaders say they have no plans to implement AI technology in 2026.
Securities executives rated AI’s current importance at 7 out of 10, with its future importance rising to 8. In 2024, the current importance was rated at 5 points.
Content is what matters to agents. The majority of agents (82%) are using AI tools to write listing descriptions, but by 2024 only 58% will. Additionally, 74% use AI for marketing content such as emails, social media, and blog posts.
Interestingly, when brokerage leaders were asked to identify the most important use of AI in their companies, only 15% chose going public, while nearly a quarter (26%) cited marketing content as the best use for AI.
I’m done using it, but I have some concerns. Last year’s survey showed that brokerage leaders appear increasingly comfortable with AI. 42% said they were “very concerned” about AI guardrails in 2025, a significant decrease from the previous year, when 50% expressed such concerns. But in 2026, anxiety is on the rise again, with 49% of leaders reporting concerns.
Concerns were most common among leaders of small brokerage firms. They cite compliance and data privacy issues as their top concerns, as resources to ensure proper training and integration of AI tools are decreasing.
But now that the AI train has left the station, brokerages of all sizes will need to adapt, Minard suggested.
“AI is now embedded in almost every area of the brokerage business,” he said. “This presents intermediaries with new opportunities to improve performance and efficiency. However, AI also creates significant new responsibilities for intermediary owners.”
