This week I’ve been reflecting on how quickly artificial intelligence is moving from “nice to have” to “must have” in commercial real estate. At Defease With Ease | Thirty Capital, we built Lobby AI because we saw what many of you already experience daily: spreadsheets and manual processes aren’t enough in today’s market.
CRE leaders are juggling rising costs, tight credit, and investor pressure — all while sitting on mountains of underutilized data. The irony is that most firms aren’t lacking information; they’re drowning in it. Property-level reports, lender requirements, investor updates, Yardi exports, Excel models... it’s all there, but accessing and analyzing it in a way that drives strategy is where things break down.
In that environment, the question isn’t if AI fits into your workflow. It’s how fast you can put it to work.
And why does this matter right now? Because AI isn’t about hype anymore. It’s about impact. We’re well past the “what if” stage. The firms making moves today aren’t experimenting with AI on the sidelines; they’re integrating it into their debt strategies, investor communications, and capital stack decisions.
We’re seeing firms that embrace purpose-built AI unlock real advantages: faster decision-making, stronger investor communication, and sharper debt and equity management. And importantly, they’re doing it without adding headcount or pulling teams away from critical priorities. In some cases, they’re even freeing up talent to focus on higher-value opportunities that would have been out of reach before.
Here are a few takeaways I’d encourage every CRE professional to consider as you think about AI in your business:
1. Stop leaving time on the table. CRE teams spend 40+ hours per quarter consolidating financials, prepping for refis, or packaging reports. That’s time lost to repetitive, manual tasks that can be automated through AI. Imagine reallocating that capacity to evaluating new deals, refining asset strategies, or building investor relationships — the activities that actually grow enterprise value.
2. Don’t risk sensitive data on public tools. Yes, ChatGPT and other general-purpose platforms are impressive. But they weren’t designed to safeguard proprietary loan documents, confidential financials, or investor reporting. And yet, many CRE firms still rely on free public tools without realizing the risks. Lobby AI is SOC 2 secure and finance-trained for CRE, which means you get the intelligence you need without the compliance headaches. Data security isn’t optional anymore; it’s table stakes.
3. Use AI where it matters most. AI isn’t just about generating emails or summaries. In CRE, the real value comes from applying AI to critical workflows: stress-testing loans as rates move, spotting DSCR risks before they trigger a default, or modeling refinance scenarios in real time. Those are decisions that shape millions of dollars in outcomes. AI should be a strategic lever, not a gimmick.
4. Leverage AI alongside human expertise. We often talk about the interplay between BI (business intelligence), AI (artificial intelligence), and HI (human intelligence). BI organizes the data. AI analyzes and predicts. HI applies judgment and experience. The magic happens when all three are in sync. AI surfaces the insights, but your team’s knowledge turns those insights into action. Together, it’s a force multiplier that makes every decision sharper and faster.
5. Get moving now. Firms that hesitate risk being left behind. AI adoption is moving fast, and the competitive gap is widening between those who use AI to inform strategy and those still waiting for the “perfect time”. The companies adopting CRE-specific AI today are already closing faster, negotiating stronger, and building resilience for the next cycle.
The reality is that AI is no longer optional. It’s becoming the new standard for how CRE teams compete and win.
And the results speak for themselves. Firms using Lobby AI are seeing:
For many teams, that means a complete redefinition of how work gets done. No more chasing spreadsheets. No more waiting on updates. Instead, your portfolio becomes interactive: it talks back, it answers questions, and it helps you stay two steps ahead of lenders and investors.
This is why I’m so energized about where our industry is heading. Lobby AI isn’t just another software platform. It’s a new way of working. One where answers come in seconds, not days or weeks. One where strategy is informed by live data, not outdated reports. And one where leaders make decisions with clarity and confidence, even in the face of uncertainty.