Commercial property is just one of many sectors critical to the U.S. economy currently grappling with the use of artificial intelligence. Most industry professionals, from entry-level employees to executives, are now using AI regularly in day-to-day operations and for key decision-making, according to Keller Augusta's 2026 Workplace & Compensation Survey.

The data suggest CRE firms are weighing job candidates on their technical capabilities, including the ability to use data conversion tools and oversee tech implementation, even when those tasks fall outside a role's core responsibilities. The trend indicates firms are preparing for a materially different operating environment than the one that has traditionally defined the sector.

Commercial real estate has a reputation for being slow to change, but Keller Augusta's 2026 survey suggests that dynamic is shifting when it comes to new technology. AI adoption is concentrated in document-heavy and analytical tasks that consume a lot of time. Firms also appear to be treating AI as a complement to their workforce rather than a replacement for it, and a growing share are formalizing tech fluency as a real job qualification. CRE firms will likely face increasing pressure as AI matures to codify how, and how quickly, they expect employees at every level to incorporate or manage these tools.

AI adoption is the norm, not the exception

AI use across CRE is not confined. Ninety-two percent of employers and hiring managers surveyed said their firms have either already adopted, are currently implementing, or are actively exploring AI tools for daily operations. Employees reported the same trend at an identical rate, with 92% saying their firms have reached one of those three stages of adoption. 

Growth in the use of AI is broadly accelerating. Nearly 60% of all respondents said they rely on AI for daily business operations and decision making, and 91% said their use of AI tools for daily business operations and decision-making increased in the trailing 12 months through March 2026.

Document review and financial analysis lead current use cases

Among respondents already using AI, the technology has taken hold in tasks involving large volumes of data and text analysis. Seventy-six percent of respondents said they currently use AI to automate the extraction and analysis of information from complex documents, such as lease agreements and other contracts, making it the most common application by a wide margin.

“Financial analysis and market or asset-class research for internal use or external distribution” followed at 50%, tied with “streamlining internal company communications and general efficiency” (50%). “Marketing materials and content generation” rounded out the top current use cases (43%).

Firms are eyeing deeper AI investment across core functions

Looking ahead, survey respondents pointed to an even broader set of functions where they expect to expand AI use. “Documentation, lease and contract review and analysis,” cited by 63% of respondents, topped the list of future priorities, followed by “financial, market and trend analysis” at 55%.

“Investment analysis and property valuation” tied with “accounting, billing and invoicing” for third among future priorities, with each cited by 48% of respondents. “Marketing, design, presentations and video production” followed at 38%, while “general internal communication and efficiency” rounded out the top six future priorities at 35%.

Hiring managers say AI is fueling growth, not shrinking headcount

Despite AI's growing footprint, commercial real estate leaders do not broadly view the technology as a threat to jobs. Eighty-three percent of respondents said they believe internal headcount will either increase or stay the same as their firms adopt and implement AI, while just 3% said they expect headcount to decrease as a result.

That optimism aligns with hiring plans elsewhere in the survey. Separately, 28% of employers and hiring managers said they believe AI will have the single biggest influence on their firm's direction and decision-making in 2026 and beyond, placing AI behind interest rate volatility and inflation but ahead of labor market dynamics as a top strategic concern.

Tech fluency is becoming a baseline expectation

The survey results pointed to a shift in how firms evaluate talent. Nearly half of employers and hiring managers (46%) said they will require AI skill sets in future job postings, even as the majority (54%) said they currently have no such plans. The nearly even split suggests the industry is in the midst of a transition, with a meaningful share of firms already moving to formalize AI literacy as a hiring requirement rather than treating it simply as a bonus skillset.

Keller Augusta’s 2026 Workplace & Compensation Survey was conducted over three weeks in March, drawing responses from professionals at every level across commercial real estate. Contact kaitlin@kelleraugusta.com to learn more about the full compensation benchmarking and market trends study.

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