AI and Data Elevate the Luxury Real Estate Experience, But Human Connection Still Defines True Value
By Eric Hadar, Chief Executive Officer, Allied Partners
I recently joined a panel at Columbia Business School with David S. Rose, CEO of US Real Estate Market (USREM), and leaders across brokerage, lending, investing, occupancy, and appraisal to discuss how artificial intelligence is reshaping our industry. AI dominated the conversation, but the takeaway was fundamentally human: technology changes how we work, but relationships still decide who wins.
Real Estate in the Age of AI
Real estate has entered an era defined by data, automation, and AI. From capital markets to brokerage to hospitality-adjacent luxury assets, technology is changing how deals are sourced, underwritten, marketed, and executed. AI surfaces insights faster, reduces friction, and personalizes experiences at scale.
Yet one truth endures: real estate is, and will always be, a human business. AI can optimize processes, but it cannot replace trust. It can analyze patterns, but it cannot read a room. While it may speed transactions, the largest and most complex deals are still driven by conviction, credibility, and long-term relationships.
Technology as an Amplifier, Not a Replacement
The best way to view AI is not as a substitute for professionals but as a power-augmenting tool – a “human exoskeleton.” AI extends our reach, sharpens analysis, and accelerates execution. But it only delivers value when paired with human strategy and emotional intelligence.
AI can draft documents, analyze markets, and model scenarios. What it cannot do is manage nuance, regulatory complexity, ethical responsibility, or reputational risk. Those require experience, judgment, and accountability. As AI models become increasingly commoditized, the true competitive advantage will come from proprietary, vetted data, combined with the trust and credibility that only people can build over time.
Why Human Connection Remains the Ultimate Luxury
This dynamic is most apparent at the intersection of real estate and hospitality. As AI-driven tools and data-led insights grow more sophisticated, it’s tempting to believe technology will define the future of luxury. Technology can enhance efficiency and customization, but it cannot recreate the emotional resonance people deliver.
Technology can remember preferences, but it cannot recognize emotion or provide genuine care. Hospitality, at its core, isn’t about software – it’s about how people make others feel. Memorable moments aren’t programmed; they arise from awareness, intuition, and the willingness to exceed expectations. Those interactions spring from empathy – not data points – and are increasingly the differentiator in an automated world.
Looking Ahead in 2026
AI will continue to transform real estate. Still, as technology accelerates, the industry’s greatest advantage remains unchanged. The next generation of leaders will be those who use AI as an amplifier, not a substitute – who build businesses powered by data and guided by judgment, empathy, and trust. In luxury real estate, the most valuable asset will never be technology. It’s people.
About Allied Partners
Allied Partners, a leader in bespoke real estate consulting, advisory services, and property management, based in New York City for over three decades, is known for elevating exceptional properties through vision, creativity, and a deep understanding of what truly drives long-term value. The firm builds long-term partnerships with owners, boards, and stakeholders to bring exceptional service, maintenance, and oversight to some of the most exclusive condominiums, co-ops, and ultra-luxury, mixed-use properties in New York and Miami.