An article by Milad Monshipour, CEO and Founder of AIR

In the first half of 2025, Dubai’s real estate market recorded more than 125,000 transactions worth about AED 431 billion, according to the Government of Dubai Media Office — a 25 percent increase on the same period last year.

Despite the UAE’s futuristic image and forward-thinking policies, these figures were achieved through a brokerage system that has barely changed for decades. For all the talk of smart cities and digital transformation, buyers and sellers still navigate opaque valuations, fragmented data, and manual processes that are slow to adapt.

This raises an important question: how much more potential could be unlocked if technology were embedded at the core of the system rather than layered on top of it?

A system where humans and machines collaborate

The next evolution of real estate lies in creating a system where brokers are part of an intelligence-driven network — one where AI manages data processing, workflow orchestration, and timing, while agents focus on human insight: understanding emotions, motivations, and context. The result is a market that’s transparent, data-driven, and fast.

Such a model doesn’t just improve efficiency; it redefines experience. By reducing friction and improving clarity, it can make buying and selling property in the UAE as simple as trading equities or other liquid assets.

The limits of the current model

The UAE’s booming market has become both its strength and its weakness. With high demand, many brokers act as deal-closers rather than trusted advisers. Investors paying substantial fees often feel underserved, while agents spend most of their time chasing leads instead of offering meaningful guidance.

At the same time, the flood of property data—listings, price shifts, demand trends, and transaction histories—now exceeds human analytical capacity. The result is skewed valuations, uneven negotiations, and long timelines that sit uneasily with the UAE’s reputation for speed and innovation.

Where AI creates value

Generative AI can process data at scale, uncover insights, and automate repetitive work. Its applications in real estate span three critical phases:

• Seller acquisition: AI can identify potential sellers by analysing buyer activity, market gaps, and historical data, generating personalised outreach more effectively than traditional lead-generation methods.
• Buyer management: By examining behavioural data, visual preferences, and contextual needs, AI can help agents better understand buyers and match them with suitable properties. Tools such as image recognition and data triangulation enhance search precision.
• Deal finalisation: AI-driven valuation models can combine market trends, price estimates, and neighbourhood data into transparent reports, enabling faster, fairer negotiations.

Rather than replacing agents, these systems amplify their impact — freeing them to focus on empathy, negotiation, and advisory work while automation handles data-heavy tasks.

The rise of the AI-native model

What distinguishes this next phase of digital transformation is the shift from digitised to AI-native systems. Early proptech efforts digitalised listings or paperwork; AI-native platforms rebuild the transaction journey around intelligence-driven processes.

In this model, AI becomes a decision-making partner — allocating tasks, managing timelines, and continuously learning from real-time market behaviour. It marks a structural rethink of how real estate operates, moving toward ecosystems where humans and machines collaborate seamlessly.

Why the UAE is uniquely positioned

The UAE is well placed to lead this transition. As His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum wrote in the UAE National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031: “We want the UAE to become the world's most prepared country for Artificial Intelligence.”

Through deregulation and deliberate policy, the UAE has already enabled near-full automation of real estate transactions, while initiatives like the Dubai REST app make property-related data openly accessible. Few markets worldwide are as ready for an AI-native transformation.

From proptech to intelligent infrastructure

This wave of AI adoption goes beyond incremental improvement. It signals a move toward intelligent infrastructure, where data continually informs investment, design, and urban development. Beyond brokerage, AI’s potential reaches construction planning, asset valuation, and predictive maintenance — all central to the UAE’s vision of sustainable, smart cities.

Early pilots across the market show this transition is already underway. The opportunity now lies in building a shared ecosystem in which start-ups, developers, regulators, and investors collaborate to set new standards for transparency, efficiency, and trust.

A future defined by intelligence

As the UAE continues to attract global investment, adopting AI-native models can redefine real estate as not only a lucrative sector but a benchmark for innovation. By combining AI-powered precision with human empathy, the industry can evolve into one that’s faster, fairer, and more transparent — setting a new global standard for property markets.