New research indicates that 69% of estate and letting agents regularly use artificial intelligence, though 85% limit its application to four tasks or fewer. Property descriptions are the most common use, with 67% of agents using AI for listings, followed by emails and general communications (53%).
Beyond these common uses, adoption drops significantly, with only 11% using AI for prospecting and 5% for compliance. The research by property software provider Alto, based on a survey of 250 agents, suggests that while AI is widespread, few businesses fully integrate it into wider operations.
Agents who use AI for writing and administration save an average of 1.3 hours per week. However, those applying it across at least two operational areas save 3.8 hours. The most advanced 20% of users report savings of around five hours per person each week.
Looking ahead to 2027, agents are beginning to prioritise AI for administration (58%), lead response and qualification (39%), and compliance (36%). This marks a shift from current usage, where compliance is only used by 5% of respondents. Half of the surveyed agents expect to increase their AI spending over the next 12 months.