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The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming the new norm for many real estate agents and brokerages. Real estate technology provider Delta Media released a new report that highlights a sharp jump in AI usage from last year.
Delta’s annual real estate leadership survey explores insights from brokerage leaders on AI, marketing technology and forward-thinking insights. This year’s survey questioned more than 100 brokerage leaders and owners in December 2024 — most of which were men. Most brokerages had between 101 and 500 agents, and most closed $1 billion to $5 billion in total transaction volume. Delta Media considered these brokerages to be “medium to large.”
In the report, 87% of brokerage leaders say their agents are using AI in some form, up from 80% from last year. More than 40% of respondents expressed concerned about AI risks, although that’s down from 50% in 2023.
“AI is no longer a new shiny object; it’s fast become an irreplaceable tool for brokerages and agents alike,” Michael Minard, CEO and owner of Delta Media Group, said in a statement. “This year’s findings show AI is more integrated across brokerage operations, growing beyond marketing and content creation to areas like customer support and administrative automation.”
Most leaders also consider AI to be more important than ever. They rate AI’s current importance at 5.9 out of 10, up from 5.0 last year, according to Delta Media. Respondents also rated the future relevancy of AI at 7.2 out of 10.
Additionally, younger real estate agents are no longer leading mainstream AI usage. Delta Media said that “AI is no longer just for younger agents — agents of all ages are using AI today.”
From a gender angle, the gap between male and female leaders who use AI is smaller. The report found that 87% of male leaders are using AI in their brokerages. Female leaders follow closely behind at 82.6%. Last year, female leaders outpaced their male counterparts.
“Last year, a greater percentage of female leaders utilized AI in their brokerages than male leaders (85.3% versus 70.4%). Male leaders have closed that gap,” the report explained.
Despite more positive attitudes toward AI usage, the top brokerages are still most likely to adopt AI from a cost perspective. Medium to large brokerages are most likely to adopt, scale and implement AI in their operations. Meanwhile, smaller brokerages are less likely to use AI on a large scale.
Property inspections rank No. 1 as the most common use case for AI. But marketing, communications, data and administrative use cases are catching up, which points toward a more holistic approach from brokerages.
Most leaders believe that AI will eventually dominate the real estate market, marking a “golden age” for real estate technology.
“The Delta survey highlights a growing belief that AI will redefine operational efficiency, helping brokerages navigate economic and market challenges with greater agility in 2025,” Minard said.
AI is also becoming more common for most startups beyond the real estate industry. An analysis by Pitchbook found that almost one-quarter of venture capital-funded startups are AI-driven companies. AI-centered agent platforms also predict success in 2025, according to a series of interviews with HousingWire.
