First American Data & Analytics and DealGround Study Finds Surging AI Adoption in Commercial Real Estate, But Trust Lags

Key Terms

artificial intelligence technical

Artificial intelligence is the ability of computers and machines to perform tasks that typically require human thinking, such as understanding language, recognizing patterns, or making decisions. For investors, it matters because AI can enhance efficiency, uncover new insights, and enable smarter strategies, potentially impacting the value and performance of companies that develop or utilize this technology.

ai technical

Artificial intelligence (AI) is technology that enables machines to mimic human thinking and learning, allowing them to analyze information, recognize patterns, and make decisions. For investors, AI matters because it can improve how businesses operate, create new products, or identify opportunities faster and more accurately than humans alone, potentially impacting company success and market trends.

commercial real estate financial

Commercial real estate is property used to run businesses or earn rental income—examples include office buildings, shopping centers, warehouses and apartment complexes leased to tenants. Investors care because these properties generate regular cash flow through rent and can change value with the economy, interest rates and local demand, so owning them is like owning a small business that depends on customers, location and ongoing costs.

New research shows commercial real estate professionals are using AI regularly, but tool confusion and low confidence in data quality are limiting higher-impact deal-related use.

SANTA ANA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- First American Data & Analytics and DealGround, unveiled new research, CRE Industry Pulse Check, finding that artificial intelligence (AI) has quickly entered the commercial real estate (CRE) mainstream, but it has not yet earned a trusted role in high-stakes decision-making.

According to the report, 66% of CRE professionals use AI weekly or daily, but only 5% trust it enough to inform real deal decisions. The findings point to a clear market gap: AI adoption is accelerating, but trust remains the barrier between experimentation and workflow transformation. More than half of respondents (53%) say they use AI for support only and exclude it from final decision-making, while another 17% say they use it only with heavy verification.

“AI adoption in CRE is no longer the question—trust is,” said Matt Key, vice president of property data at First American Data & Analytics. “Professionals are using AI, but only if the outputs are verifiable and the data is reliable. Closing this gap is what will move AI from a productivity tool to a decision-making engine.”

The study suggests the next phase of AI in CRE will move beyond tool adoption and focus on tools that utilize accurate, decision-ready data. For respondents who have not adopted AI more aggressively, the biggest barriers are practical and trust-based: 34% say they do not know which tools to use, while 32% cite concerns about accuracy. By contrast, only 5% say cost or unclear ROI is the main obstacle.

"CRE professionals are not resisting AI—they're pressure-testing it,” said Dan Mosher, CEO and co-Founder of DealGround. “Brokers will adopt tools that fit how they actually work, but they will not stake a deal on outputs they don’t trust. The next phase of AI in CRE will go beyond answering questions to help professionals execute inside real workflows.”

AI’s Value Today: Incremental Gains, Not Full Automation

The research shows AI’s current value in CRE is in supporting productivity, but the next wave of value for AI lies in execution: automating manual transaction and closing processes (33%) and delivering reliable rent and sales comps in thin or opaque markets (25%).

“Those priorities highlight where the market needs to go next,” explained Key. “CRE professionals are not asking for more features—they are looking for less friction, more consistency and greater confidence in the underlying data and information. The stronger the data foundation, the more useful and trustworthy AI becomes.”

Taken together, these findings show a market moving beyond curiosity, but still short of full confidence. AI has earned a place in day-to-day CRE work, but broader adoption in deal-related workflows will depend on improvements in trust, verification and data integrity.

Click here to read the full report.

About CRE Industry Pulse Check:
The findings are based on an online survey commissioned by First American Data & Analytics and DealGround fielded March 31 – April 8, 2026, among 255 qualified CRE professionals across brokerage, lending and capital markets, development and asset management. The research examines how CRE professionals are using AI today, where they are seeing value, and what is holding back broader adoption.

First American Data & Analytics is one of the largest providers of property data and analytics in the United States, with deep expertise in the data infrastructure that supports real estate technology and AI-driven workflows.

DealGround’s AI-powered command center is used by the top 15 CRE brokerage firms in the U.S., giving the company direct visibility into how brokers adopt and evaluate AI in the field.

About First American Data and Analytics
First American Data & Analytics, a division of First American Financial Corporation, is a national provider of property-centric information, risk management and valuation solutions. First American maintains and curates the industry’s largest public records property and ownership dataset that includes more than 8.6 billion document images. Its major platforms and products include: DataTree^® property data, FraudGuard^® risk solution, RegsData^® compliance suite, Procision™ AVM, and TaxSource™ property tax reporting. Find out more about how First American Data & Analytics powers the real estate, mortgage and title settlement services industries with advanced risk intelligence solutions at www.FirstAmDNA.com.

About First American
First American Financial Corporation (NYSE: FAF) is a premier provider of title, settlement, and risk solutions for real estate transactions. With its combination of financial strength and stability built over more than 135 years, innovative proprietary technologies, and unmatched data assets, the company is leading the digital transformation of its industry. First American also provides data products to the title industry and other third parties; valuation products and services; mortgage subservicing; home warranty products; banking, trust and wealth management services; and other related products and services. With total revenue of $7.5 billion in 2025, the company offers its products and services directly and through its agents throughout the United States and abroad. In 2026, First American was named one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For by Great Place to Work^® and Fortune Magazine for the eleventh consecutive year. More information about the company can be found at www.firstam.com.

About DealGround
DealGround is an AI-powered intelligence command center for commercial real estate (CRE) professionals. The platform transforms fragmented property, tenant, ownership, and market data into structured, actionable deal intelligence that helps brokers convert insights into opportunity. Built for how brokers actually work, DealGround brings together property intelligence and ownership research to help brokers generate qualified leads and move faster from prospecting to closed deals. DealGround serves the top 15 CRE brokerage firms nationwide. For more information, visit www.dealground.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260512952877/en/

Media Contacts:
Marcus Ginnaty
Corporate Communications
First American Financial Corporation
714-250-3298
First American Data & Analytics:
Nicole Stenclik, nicole@akrete.com
DealGround:
Maya Komadina, maya@novo-comms.com

Investor Contact:
Craig Barberio
Investor Relations
First American Financial Corporation
714-250-5214

Source: First American Data & Analytics