Artificial intelligence is no longer a “nice-to-have” in CRE. It’s becoming a practical tool for speeding up leasing, improving asset performance, and creating visibility where traditional outreach can fall short. But while the benefits are clear, getting an entire team to align on AI adoption is often the real challenge.
Here’s what we know for certain: different stakeholders, like ownership, asset managers, and brokers, often view value through very different lenses. Securing buy-in means meeting each group where they are, addressing their priorities directly, and showing results early.
Ownership: Focus on the Bottom Line
Ownership groups care about one thing above all else: protecting and growing asset value. Position AI as a tool that minimizes costly downtime and drives leasing velocity. The cost of vacancy remains high, in some markets, one month of downtime can erase more than $1 million in potential rent on a 50,000 square foot property. AI helps fill that gap by ensuring your properties are consistently in front of decision-makers, rather than relying on chance.
Asset Managers: Highlight Portfolio-Level Impact
Asset managers need scalable solutions that help them manage performance across multiple properties. The conversation here is less about individual deals and more about consistency. Frame AI as a way to standardize outreach, track engagement, and bring measurable transparency to digital marketing spend. In fact, Deloitte found that 94% of business leaders believe AI is critical to driving efficiency at scale.
Brokers: Show How It Makes Their Job Easier
Relationships are the cornerstone of CRE, and AI can feel abstract unless it’s tied to something tangible. So, making the connection by showing how AI streamlines prospecting, puts listings in front of qualified tenants faster, and supports the broker’s ability to negotiate from a stronger position. Early wins, such as increased tour activity or faster deal timelines, help build trust and demonstrate that AI is working with them, not against them.
Turning Skepticism into Support
Adoption rarely happens all at once. The key is to start small, deliver measurable wins, and use those results to bring the rest of the team along. Whether it’s boosting visibility for a single listing or tracking engagement across a submarket, visible proof of performance is the fastest way to turn skeptics into advocates.
AI as a Cross-Functional Team Advantage
The strongest message you can deliver is that AI isn’t just a tool for one team, it’s a value driver for the entire organization. For ownership, it protects asset value. For asset managers, it creates scale and accountability. For brokers, it accelerates deal flow. Once each audience sees how AI directly supports their objectives, buy-in becomes far easier to secure.
Adopting new technology in CRE will always involve change, but aligning teams on AI doesn’t have to be an uphill battle. Lead with outcomes that matter to each stakeholder, deliver early proof, and position AI as a unifying tool that strengthens the entire leasing process.
