Estate agents face growing pressure to disclose their use of artificial intelligence (AI) in property transactions, further to research conducted by iamproperty involving more than 320 agents and 350 consumers.
The findings published in their report indicate that 65% of consumers believe agents should clearly disclose when AI is used in communications or property listings. Roughly a quarter of respondents stated they are not comfortable with AI use at all.
The research suggests that AI adoption is already being utilised in agency workflows. The report finds over 60% of agents use AI to reduce administrative workload, support staff capacity and automate repetitive tasks.
The report unveils an ‘AI trust gap’ between operational adoption within agencies and what consumers expect around transparency. This issue could be pivotal for estate agents, where trust and disclosure have historically been central to client relationships.
“The conversation around AI has been focused on what the technology can do and how agents are using it, but what our data shows is that the real issue could be eroding the trust that agents have worked hard for.
“Consumers are asking for clarity on AI. They want to know when it’s being used and how it fits into the service they’re receiving. Agents need to go beyond being AI literate to being able to confidently explain its value.”
Jamie Cooke, Co-Founder, iamproperty
The findings follow as estate agency websites face scrutiny over their effectiveness in attracting vendors, suggesting wider challenges in how agents communicate with clients. In addition, while nearly half of consumers are comfortable with agents using AI to assist with transactions, transparency remains critical to keeping that confidence.
The research mentions insights from iamproperty’s 7,000 branch agency network and in-depth agent interviews and survey data.
“Buying and selling a home is emotional. People are excited, anxious, sometimes going through divorce or loss. AI can help with efficiency and take away repetitive admin, but it will never replace the human element in a transaction like this.”
Verona Frankish, CEO, YOPA
The research suggests that agents will need to embed clear internal standards, team training and persistent client communication to ensure transparency across every stage of the transaction.
This comes at a time when a quarter of UK property sellers are withdrawing from the market, showcasing the value of maintaining client confidence.
