From AI Analog to AI Native: My View on Where CRE Work Is Going

I thought I’d share a few thoughts that came to mind as Michael and Sam were in town recording the latest season of the A.CRE Audio Series. We spent a lot of time talking about AI – what’s real and what’s not, where it might take the industry, and how it’s already reshaping our work.

Most of us in commercial real estate are still working in what I’d call an “AI Analog” environment. It’s the world we know where humans drive the work, and technology plays a supporting role.

That setup has worked for a long time. But I think we’re starting to see the early signs of something different: AI-native work. A world where digital agents (or “coworkers,” if you want to call them that) are doing a lot of the heavy lifting.

Most of us are dabbling with AI, using it here and there to draft emails, summarize notes, or streamline a process. And while that dabbling might lead to a modest 1.5x or 2x improvement in our output, it’s a far cry from the step-change that’s coming. We’re talking 100x+ leaps in productivity and insight once we shift from AI-analog to AI-native work.

This post is just my take on where we are today, where we might be heading, and how we as professionals can start to prepare.

CRE Work Today: AI Analog

Here’s what I mean by “AI Analog.”

• People are still at the center. Everything starts and stops with a human. Even if you use AI, it’s probably just for one-off tasks like summarizing a lease, writing an email, generating a comp set.
• Tools don’t talk to each other. ARGUS lives in one place, Excel in another, your model output somewhere else. Coordination is manual.
• Workflows are built around what humans can handle. Eight-hour days, inbox limits, memory gaps. We’ve shaped processes to fit our natural constraints.
• AI is just a helper. Most firms think of it as a bolt-on to their existing systems.

It’s not broken. But it’s slow, clunky, and increasingly out of step with what’s possible.

CRE Work Tomorrow: AI Native

Now imagine its 2030 or 2035, and instead of you doing the work and AI helping, the AI does the work and you guide it.

• Agents run the process. Not just one step. They handle entire workflows. You step in to check their work, make judgment calls, or redirect.
• Everything’s connected. Data, tools, and tasks flow seamlessly. No more copying from one tool to the next.
• Work is continuous. Digital agents don’t wait for Monday morning or a Slack message. They just go.
• Processes are optimized for throughput. Not limited by calendar invites or email threads.
• AI isn’t optional. It’s baked into the core of how we all operate.

That’s the direction I think we’re heading, slowly in some firms and faster in others.

What This Means for Us

If you’re a professional in CRE on the investment, development, lending, or operating side, I think this shift matters. Not because your job will disappear, but because the way we add value is changing.

The real value will come from knowing how to direct these systems, shape workflows, and make judgment calls that AI can’t. That means:

• Getting a little more comfortable with how agentic AI works.
• Starting to rethink how your current workflows could change.
• Focusing more on high-value work: relationships, strategy, judgment.
• Letting go of tasks that should be run by a machine anyway.

How to Become AI-Native

Start by tinkering.

Go explore the A.CRE post on AI tools and pick one or two to play with.

Try vibe coding platforms like v0 or Lovable to build simple apps that support your CRE workflow. Test out workflow builders such as n8n or Gumloop to automate repetitive tasks. Or become a CRE Agents certified builder.

Create your own custom GPTs or Claude Projects that align with your daily work. And if you’re feeling ambitious, dive into building full-blown AI agents using platforms like DigitalOcean’s GenAI platform.

The more you experiment, the faster you’ll start to internalize what these tools are capable of and how they can shift your day-to-day.

Then layer in learning.

Devour practitioner-friendly AI videos from A.CRE and others – IBM Technology’s YouTube channel is a good place to start.

Enroll in courses like our AI for real estate course or others that offer relevant, hands-on instruction.

And stay current with AI news to track how the landscape is evolving. When something new drops, don’t just read about it, test it out. Becoming AI-native isn’t a one-and-done event. It’s a continuous loop of curiosity, learning, and application.

Final Thought

I don’t think this is something to panic about. I also don’t think it’s something to ignore. We’re not talking about some distant future—we’re talking about a transition that’s already starting to happen in small ways.

My view: the professionals and firms that embrace this shift early will be better positioned for what’s next.

Let’s build around what’s possible, not just what’s familiar.