There is a lot of hype around artificial intelligence. Many agents are asking if AI will eventually take over prospecting. While it is true that technology is changing the way we work, in my view the answer is clear: AI cannot replace the core of what makes real estate successful.
AI Can Handle Data, Not Relationships
AI is powerful when it comes to collecting and organising information. It can track sales results, update a database, or schedule reminders. It can even send bulk SMS or emails at the click of a button. These are valuable tools, but none of them create the trust and human connection that win business.
Real estate is not just about presenting numbers. It is about listening to people, understanding their needs, and building relationships that last for years. When you sit down with a client and share a story from an auction, or explain how you helped another seller navigate a tough decision, you create confidence. A computer cannot do that.
Why Trust and Affability Matter
The two most underrated qualities of an agent are trust and affability. They are not technical skills. They are not things that can be programmed into an algorithm. But they are the reasons people choose you over someone else.
Owners want to feel that they can trust you with their most important asset. Buyers want to feel comfortable enough to ask questions and believe your advice. These qualities are built over time, through repeated interactions, follow-ups, and genuine care. AI cannot replicate that process.
How AI Can Support You
This does not mean AI has no role to play. Used properly, it can save you time and energy. It can keep your CRM up to date, remind you to call a prospect, or send out a newsletter automatically. These things are helpful, but they should not replace your direct involvement.
The smartest agents will use AI to handle the background work so they can spend more time face-to-face with clients. If AI can save you an hour a day, use that hour to make more calls, attend more appointments, or build stronger connections in your community.
The Human Advantage
Think about the biggest listing you have ever secured. Did the vendor give you the business because your system sent them an automated text message? Or did they give it to you because of the way you presented yourself, the way you communicated, and the way you made them feel?
This is the human advantage. People remember how you made them feel. They remember your stories, your advice, and the way you handled their concerns. That is the foundation of an attraction-based career.
AI is here to stay, and it will continue to grow in influence. But it will never replace the role of an agent who builds trust and creates lasting relationships. Use AI as a tool to make your work easier, not as a replacement for what you do best.
The agents who thrive in the years ahead will be those who master both. Embrace technology for efficiency, but never forget that real estate is about people first. Trust and affability are what win business, and no computer can compete with that.