Brokerages expand AI use as safeguards take focus

With artificial intelligence now woven into much of the real estate business, brokerages are facing a bigger question: How can they build policies and safeguards that keep pace with how quickly agents are using it?

More than 97% of brokerage leaders surveyed by Delta Media Group said their companies were using AI in 2026, up from 87% in 2025. But concerns over whether enough safeguards are in place hasn’t eased. Leaders rated the issue an average 6 out of 10, unchanged from the previous two annual surveys. Data and security risks ranked highest, followed by agent resistance, real estate regulations and compliance,and integration with existing systems.

The 2026 Delta Media Real Estate AI & Leadership Survey also shows AI being used well beyond an occasional marketing shortcut.

Among the findings:

• Content creation leads brokerage AI use. More than 25% of leaders said their companies primarily use AI for content such as marketing materials, moving ahead of listing descriptions as the top use.
• Listing descriptions remain a major use. About 14% identified them as their brokerage's primary AI application.
• Agents are using AI across a much wider range of tasks, including data analysis, administrative work, social media, virtual staging and summarizing reports.
• AI's importance continues to rise. Leaders rated its importance to their businesses and agents at about 7 out of 10, up from 6 last year and 4 two years earlier.
• They expect it to matter even more. Leaders gave AI a projected importance score of about 8 out of 10 for 2026.

The expansion of AI gives brokerages more to think about. As AI moves into data analysis, administrative work and other daily tasks, firms also have to decide what information can go into these systems and who is responsible for checking the work.

Michael Minard, CEO and owner of Delta Media Group, said AI use has become “virtually ubiquitous” across brokerages and the question now is how firms make sure it is used accurately and responsibly.

The survey also suggests brokerages aren't backing away because of those concerns. Leaders rated all-in-one marketing platforms that include AI and automation at an average 7 out of 10 in value, and many expect to expand their use of AI for content, listing descriptions and social media.

Delta Media surveyed more than 100 broker-owners and top-level brokerage managers. The respondents represented firms ranging from 20 or fewer agents to more than 1,000.

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