How human-centric AI can protect trust in UK estate agencies

AI in property  

McKinsey forecasts that global AI adoption in real estate will grow by more than 40% this year, exceeding $17.6bn annually. 

AI is already helping agencies move faster and operate at a larger scale by automating tasks like lead generation, property recommendations and tenant communications. Generative AI can also analyse vast amounts of property data, create marketing materials and even help with lease negotiations.  

According to a Reapit survey of 624 UK property professionals in 2025:

• 62% believe AI can make decisions and learn independently

• 29% see AI primarily as automation

• 79% had encountered tools marketed as AI that were in fact basic scripting

The human edge of business-integrated AI

All this progress has been achieved using first-generation public AI platforms. The next generation is AI that reclaims the human side of property.

Matt McGown, Reapit’s Chief Product Officer, explains that human-centric AI is designed to inject human oversight and closely integrate with business flows, creating AI interactions enriched with past knowledge of client engagements.

Left unchecked, agents using generic AI could face similar situations to Virgin Money, which was forced to apologise after its AI chatbot attempted to censor customers from using the word “virgin”, showing how absurd things can get when carelessly implemented AI takes over.

Reapit calls for a ‘trust-first’ approach to AI

Where first-generation tools fall short, business-integrated AI can help strengthen and scale the human touch. The fact that it is already emerging within technology platforms will reassure agents worried about AI eroding the human element within customers’ experience.

“Reapit’s position is clear: AI should enhance the human element in real estate,” says McGown.

To bridge the authenticity gaps of public tools, Reapit has launched Reapit AI (RAI) – embedded directly into the Reapit CRM at the platform level, with complete human oversight.

Unlike standalone generative AI products, RAI:

• learns from an agency’s own data, not from the open internet

• adapts to the agency’s specific workflows

• provides clear traceability behind every AI-generated recommendation

• is built with human approval as the first step, before any automation

• ensures outputs remain explainable, auditable and compliant

“Agents don’t need another shiny tool,” says McGown. “They need fewer late nights writing ads and more time building relationships. RAI keeps humans in the loop – you stay in control, and the technology scales what already makes your agency successful.”

A defining moment for UK property  

Consumers reward strong service and authenticity, something more achievable with the right tools.

“The agencies that win won’t be the ones with the flashiest AI,” the paper concludes. “They’ll be the ones using AI responsibly to scale, preserve trust, and retain the human connection.”

Reapit will be revealing more about its unique approach to building trusted AI for the property sector and showcasing its latest AI developments live on stage at Propertymark One on 12 June.

Read the guide here.