Beyond efficiency: How AI is opening up new creative possibilities for property and place

As the property industry navigates a period of rapid technological change, we’re exploring what this means for our clients and the places we help bring to life. Our Managing Director, Nick Bentley, reflects on his time at CREtech New York this week and the conversations shaping the industry’s future.

I’ve just returned from a week in New York at CREtech – the Commercial Real Estate Technology conference – where, unsurprisingly, one theme dominated: AI.

It was everywhere, from conference sessions and exhibition stands to breakout conversations.

Seeing how AI is impacting the entire property lifecycle was eye-opening, from building management, maintenance and contracts through to leasing, alongside wider conversations about the data centres and energy infrastructure behind it all.

At every stage, the focus was on how AI can accelerate processes, from incremental improvements to entirely new ways of working.

From what I saw, the US market felt more buoyant and confident than Europe right now.

People were talking about what they’re going to build, rather than what’s on hold.

Lauren Young from Brookfield spoke about planning the next generation of offices and what tenants are looking for.

As the office evolves, the way we lease it needs to evolve too.

While much of the conversation at CREtech focused on operations, data and efficiency, there was less discussion about how AI is changing the way we tell a building’s story and ultimately get it leased.

That’s where we’ve been focusing our attention. What does this new era mean for storytelling?

We’ve been refining our approach, exploring new ways to engage and move people.

One example is the evolution of Amplify, our interactive storytelling platform that brings unbuilt schemes to life and helps get them leased faster.

But speed is only part of the story.

Some will use AI to do the same things faster and cheaper. We believe the bigger opportunity lies in ambition – using these technologies to rethink what’s possible.

For our clients, we see three key opportunities:

01. Richer content ecosystems

With the right planning and a strong idea, budgets can now go much further.

Early-stage vision films, cinematic content that was once out of reach, virtual tours and interactive experiences.

A much richer marketing toolkit is now within reach.

02. Hyper-relevance

An investor, an occupier and someone who lives down the road all care about different things. Rather than relying on a handful of generic assets to speak to everyone, we can now create more targeted content, tailored to what matters most to each audience.

03. More responsive campaigns

It’s easier than ever to be data-driven. We can launch brands, campaigns and content, understand what’s resonating with different audiences and adapt our approach in response.

None of us has all the answers about what AI means for real estate. There are big unknowns and huge potential, often in the same conversation.

Our role is to help clients navigate this new era, finding new and creative ways to tell stories that move projects forward, connect more deeply with audiences and accelerate sales and leasing.

If you’re feeling excited, curious or even slightly confused by it all, I’d love to grab a coffee and chat!

Get in touch with Nick via nick.bentley@wearesomewhere.net.