REAL AI: Are you the Agent-in-the-Loop, AI facts, headlines, and quote of the week
By Kevin Hawkins with Korey Hawkins | Vol. 3 Issue 27
REAL AI is a human-created weekly roundup of all things related to artificial intelligence in real estate and emerging AI innovations in other sectors likely to impact our industry.
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Agentic AI and Agent-in-the-loop
When using AI, are you the Agent-in-the-loop? The origin of this concept can be traced to futurist John Naisbitt, who famously wrote in his bestseller, Megatrends, “The more high tech we become, the more high touch we need.”
The phrase – “high tech, high touch” – that he coined four decades ago is making a comeback in the age of Agentic AI, as AI starts to do things for us without us telling it what to do.
But when you rely on AI in your real estate business, you are ultimately accountable for what it does. Real estate agents and brokers need to understand the role they must play as Agentic AI emerges as table stakes.
The role of human touch
These three phrases describe human involvement with AI:
1. Human-in-the-loop (HITL): you are in control
This is the most involved form of interaction. A human actively participates in every decision cycle. Think of it like reviewing and editing every email or listing description before it goes out, including when AI drafts it.
Real estate example: You’re using ChatGPT, Claude or another AI chatbot to write listing descriptions. It auto-generates text that describes a neighborhood as “family-friendly” or a property as “perfect for young couples,” or other phrases that could trigger Fair Housing violations or conflict with MLS rules.
By contrast, a solution like Restb.ai, embedded within your MLS, uses image-to-text technology that’s trained with industry-safe language. However, even then, you must review and edit the output to ensure it matches your voice and complies with the requirements before publishing.
Why it matters: Having control and oversight is essential because accuracy is crucial in real estate, especially when it comes to compliance and professional liability.
2. Human-on-the-loop (HOTL): you monitor and manage
Here, AI operates more freely, but you supervise the results and step in only if there’s a red flag.
Real estate example: Your website lead gen is connected to your CRM and uses AI to auto-respond to new inquiries. Most replies are solid, but you still review the logs to catch any missteps, such as the bot suggesting a condo to a client who had asked for single-family homes only.
Why it matters: This setup saves time and helps you automate and scale communication 24/7, but you still need to pay attention. Without periodic review, minor errors can quietly erode trust or, at worst, derail a deal.
3. Human-out-of-the-loop (HOOTL): you trust the system completely
AI is running independently. You’re not watching in real-time, and you’re not reviewing the results.
Real estate example: A chatbot schedules showings, answers client routine questions like when the closing date is, and sends out disclosures, all without you seeing a thing.
Why it matters: This approach can be effective for low-risk tasks or after rigorous testing, but it’s risky if things go awry. Without the human touch, there’s no failsafe.
Are you where you need to be?
Naisbitt believed that technology must be balanced with human values, empathy, and personal interaction. That concept is now more relevant than ever as we enter the age of Agentic AI.
Again, the question you need to ask yourself: “Are you the Agent-in-the-loop, the agent-on-the-loop or the agent-outside-the-loop – and most importantly, are you in the proper position? (-Kevin)
AI Facts and Stats
1. Over 90% of executives expect to spend more on AI in the next three years – McKinsey
2. Over 25% of marketers report that AI-generated content is more successful than content created without AI – CoSchedule
3. 43% of U.S. adults aged 18-29 have used ChatGPT – Backlinko
4. Over 40% of current AI users say they trust the information provided by AI tools – Attest
5. Only 47% of people globally believe that AI companies protect personal data – Stanford University
Source: Semrush (-Korey)
AI Surprise of the Week
According to Rolling Stone magazine, the ‘band’ – The Velvet Sundown – has accumulated more than 500,000 monthly subscribers and used Suno.ai to create its album. They now call it an ‘art hoax,’ with a spokesperson telling Rolling Stone, “Things that are fake have sometimes even more impact than things that are real.”
AI Headlines
The AI moment gets real: Digging into AI this September | 6/30/21 WAV Group
Victor Lund writes about RISMedia 2025 CEO Exchange top AI panel, moderated by WAV Group partner Kevin Hawkins, focusing on turning AI into real ROI.
‘Spokesperson’ for AI ‘Band’ Velvet Sundown Now Says He Is an Imposter | 7/2/25 Rolling Stone
AI music is blowing up as Suno becomes more popular.
The AI Advantage: Experts Share How AI Is Revolutionizing Real Estate – and Why the Potential for Agents Is Limitless | 7/3/25 RISMedia
Cotality and Buffini & Company executives discuss ways to maximize AI opportunities.
We Asked AI How Much Is Needed To Buy a First Home and Fact-Checked It With Financial Experts | 6/30/25 Realtor.com
While AI is a good starting point for home buying, the process still requires the human element.
Pay Up, AI Bot: That’s the Message From a Key Company in How the Internet Works | 7/3/25 CNET
Cloudflare is blocking AI data crawlers, making it more difficult for AI companies to train their AI models.
AI Quote of the Week
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