Artificial intelligence presents many opportunities for real estate professionals to improve business efficiency and customer interactions, but also raises important questions about ethics, accountability and consumer protection.
At the 2026 NXT Regulatory Issues Forum, "Risk or Reward? How AI Is Reshaping the Real Estate Industry," Bloomberg’s Evan Weinberger moderated a discussion examining the opportunities and challenges AI presents for the real estate profession. The discussion featured Kevin Hawkins, president of WAV Group Communications, Yana Rusovski, an attorney with Spencer Fane LLP, and Jessica Hickok is the CEO of the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials.
Together, the panel explored the ethical responsibilities of real estate professionals using AI, the growing threat of AI-enabled fraud, and whether stronger safeguards and regulations are needed as the technology advances.
One question is the use of AI relative to fair housing laws. Previously, Rusovski held leadership positions at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, where she worked on fair housing enforcement and investigations involving automated decision-making. On using AI in the fair housing space Rusovski said, “there are many nuanced situations where, from a fair housing risk perspective, at least you're going to be able to analyze it better.”
Another issue is the consideration of how to use AI tools consistent with state and federal laws governing consumer privacy, discrimination, transparency and accountability.
She added that understanding both the capabilities and limitations of AI will be increasingly important as AI becomes more prevalent throughout the real estate transaction.
Put a Human in the Middle
The forum also examined the ethical considerations surrounding AI adoption and the importance of ensuring that new technologies are used responsibly. As professionals increasingly rely on automated tools, maintaining consumer trust and understanding potential legal and compliance risks will remain essential.
Hawkins has spent more than 30 years working with real estate professionals and focuses on helping them use AI responsibly Hawkins warned of the risks of AI but shared, “There's an opportunity in AI to do enormous good in real estate, but it's bigger than that. We're solving problems that were unsolvable in medical research and in healthcare.”
Hawkins encourages real estate professionals to keep the “HIM and HER” in AI by maintaining a Human in the Middle (HIM) and having a Human Evaluate and Review AI-generated work (HER) before relying on it.
Use of AI presents emerging security challenges for the real estate industry. AI-enabled fraud can make deceptive communications and impersonations more convincing, creating additional risks for professionals and consumers navigating real estate transactions.
Finding the right balance between technological progress and appropriate protections will be central to the discussion. Speakers noted that real estate professionals will need to understand not only how AI can benefit their businesses, but also how to identify risks, maintain accountability, and protect the consumers they serve.
Hickok encouraged NAR members to ask questions about AI and really understand the tools they are using. "You need to know understand how AI works, and you need to know how your industry works. Stay on top of your craft and stay on top of being the professional that understands enough to ask more questions. And that's whether you're a regulator, you're a licensee, you're a REALTOR®," she said. "Do your research and understand how AI is working."
