Asia-Pacific real estate is at a turning point, as artificial intelligence evolves from a tool for efficiency to a catalyst for reinvention.
AI is reshaping how assets are managed, decisions are made, and value is created. According to Yardi’s latest proptech report, 37% of Asia-Pacific real estate companies now use AI – a sharp rise from just 9% in 2021. This shift signals an industry waking up to AI’s potential, but also confronting its challenges.
The fifth instalment of Technology Transformation in Asian Real Estate, a collaboration between Yardi and Mingtiandi, dives into proptech adoption across the region. Surveying investors, fund managers, developers and consultancies, we uncovered a striking divide: 48% of respondents are experimenting with AI, yet only 16% of their organisations have stable AI solutions.
The gap between grassroots AI innovation and institutional commitment underscores the sector’s growing pains.
AI is proving most useful for research and content creation, according to survey respondents, yet the gaps are glaring. Data limitations were cited by 47% of respondents, while 59% see skills deficits as a significant barrier.
As part of the report, we asked some of Asia Pacific’s real estate leaders for their views.
“People are experimenting with AI independently because it’s not yet institutionalised in their organisations,” said Zak Ungerman, Managing Director at Emergent Capital Partners. “While commercial tools encourage experimentation, accessing quality data and training remains a challenge.”
Alice Chen, Co-founder and General Counsel at InvestaX, agreed: “There’s an overwhelming amount of data available, but how can we trust its accuracy?”
AI adoption varies widely across Asia-Pacific. Singapore and Hong Kong lead, with about a third of companies implementing AI systems or preparing their data. India is split, with 33% planning adoption but an equal percentage reporting no plans. Mainland China has the highest percentage (36%) of companies not anticipating AI use.
Overall, AI holds immense promise for real estate, but leaders have a long list of agenda items ahead. They must close the data gap, upskill teams and create safe sandboxes for innovation.
As Alice Chen noted: “Real estate has been slow to adopt new technologies, but AI is changing that because it is intuitive and easy to use daily. To replicate this success with other tools, we must create a seamless user experience – abstracting complex background applications, just as ChatGPT did for AI.”
This isn’t just about keeping up – it’s about stepping up the pace to seize the opportunities the AI adoption race presents. Ready to lead the AI real estate revolution? Explore Yardi’s latest report for insights shaping the future of real estate.