A striking observation was made at the RETCON 2025 conference: approximately 99% of all species that have ever lived are now extinct, primarily because they failed to adapt quickly enough to changing environments. This theme of adaptation was echoed in discussions about AI's rapid transformation of the real estate landscape. As AI transitions from experimentation to scaling, adapting to these changes becomes crucial for survival and growth in the industry.

Lance French, Chief Information Officer at RealPage, highlighted the transformative power of AI in real estate during a morning presentation. He noted that autonomous systems not only enhance property values with precision but also elevate tenant experiences by anticipating needs and proactively resolving issues. French emphasized that scaling AI requires a different mindset, focusing on securely extracting value, protecting privacy, and being well-governed, given AI's rapid evolution. "Scaling AI requires a different mindset. It’s about how you can extract value in your business, in a way that works, is secure, protects privacy, and is well-governed, because the world of AI is changing rapidly," he explained. French also pointed out that AI is growing faster than any preceding technology and is predicted to become a $180 billion annual industry in real estate alone.

French underscored the significant progress from the early days of AI experimentation to the current discussions around agentic AI and its potential impact on the industry. He warned that companies failing to plan for, invest in, and adopt AI will likely be left behind. "One thing is clear: as real estate leaders, we must recognize that companies that don’t plan for, invest in, and adopt AI will likely be left behind," he stated.