In a world where technology is advancing at lightning speed, the conversation often shifts to a single, pressing question: will AI replace people?
To get to the heart of this, I sat down with my guest, Jonathan Lickstein, the Chief Operating Officer of LoKation® Real Estate, one of the nation’s fastest-growing brokerages.
Jonathan, who is also a certified instructor and a recognized Top 50 Broker by the National Association of Realtors, brings a passion for advancing technologies and their role in the real estate industry. His experience building a company from a handful of agents to over 3,900 across five states has given him a unique perspective on how to leverage technology for growth.
In our conversation, we explored a powerful truth: the most innovative technology isn’t designed to replace real estate professionals, but to empower them. Here are some key takeaways from our talk.
AI’s True Purpose: A Human-First Approach
Jonathan made a compelling case for how AI serves as a partner, not a replacement. The core value of a real estate agent is built on relationships, trust, and risk mitigation. AI is a tool that frees agents from the tedious, repetitive tasks that consume their time, allowing them to focus on what truly matters: face-to-face interactions.
AI can streamline an agent’s life by:
- Automating administrative tasks: Think of automated calendar updates or follow-up tasks that happen in milliseconds.
- Providing on-demand information: Chatbots can answer client questions 24/7, satisfying the “on-demand” expectations of younger generations.
- Nurturing relationships: AI can send automated texts for holidays or home-buying anniversaries, ensuring clients feel cared for without the agent needing to remember every detail.
The goal, Jonathan emphasized, is to allow agents to be present and engaged, while AI handles the back-end operations.
The Power of Immersive Technology and Trust
Beyond the administrative side, we discussed how immersive technology is revolutionizing the client experience. The physical home is only half the equation; the emotional connection is the other.
Jonathan explained that immersive tech bridges this gap by providing a true, unedited depiction of a property. Unlike highly curated photos that can sometimes mislead buyers, a digital replica builds trust by allowing a potential buyer to virtually “stand in the kitchen” or “walk through a room” from anywhere in the world. This not only gives the consumer an accurate view but also adds credibility to the agent.
By allowing buyers to revisit homes virtually, immersive technology also solves a common problem: a buyer’s confusion after touring multiple properties in one day. This helps them stay excited and confident throughout the transaction, reinforcing a sense of ownership even before the deal is closed.
Navigating the Challenges of AI
Of course, with great power comes great responsibility. Jonathan openly addressed some of the challenges and risks associated with AI, specifically:
- Inaccuracy and Bias: Public, open-source AI platforms can pull information from unreliable sources, leading to inaccurate or biased results. The solution? Fact-checking is a must.
- Data Security: Anything entered into a public AI can be leveraged for other users. The more secure and reliable approach, he explained, is a closed ecosystem or a custom-built system that references a trusted, secure knowledge base (like a broker’s own archived expertise).
Jonathan’s advice was clear: be creative and use AI to your advantage, but always be mindful of its limitations.
The Avatar Paradox: Scary But Powerful
The conversation ended on the fascinating topic of avatars. Jonathan acknowledged that the idea of a digital duplicate is “scary,” but he quickly pointed out the immense value it brings. He shared a brilliant example of how a 2-hour educational video for agents was summarized into a 20-minute video using an avatar of the broker, saving agents 90% of their time.
Ultimately, the core theme of our conversation was that technology, from AI to immersive virtual tours and even digital avatars, is not about replacing the human touch. It’s about enhancing it, giving real estate professionals the time and tools they need to build stronger relationships and provide an unparalleled level of service.
As Jonathan and his team have proven at LoKation, a strategic approach to technology is a surefire way to drive exponential growth.
