JLL’s 2025 Global Real Estate Technology Survey reveals that artificial intelligence (AI) adoption in buildings has surged remarkably, with 92% of corporate real estate occupiers now piloting AI solutions—a rapid jump from less than 5% just three years ago. However, only 5% of organizations report achieving most or all of their expected results from these initiatives, indicating a large gap between implementation rates and tangible business impact.
Key Findings: Adoption vs. Impact
JLL surveyed over 1,500 senior commercial real estate (CRE) decision-makers across 16 global markets, observing widespread experimentation in building automation, energy performance, workflow integration, and workplace management. Despite near-universal pilots and strong executive mandates to pursue AI as a competitive necessity, program maturity remains low—most initiatives are not scaled beyond pilots, and just under half of companies achieve two or three of their intended goals. On average, each company is running five separate AI use cases at the same time, with JLL cataloging 56 distinct applications across the CRE value chain.
Strategic Focus and C-Suite Priorities
The appetite for AI in real estate technology budgets has grown, with 87% of organizations increasing their investments due to AI. C-suite executives are driving adoption, repositioning AI from an efficiency play to a mechanism for business growth and competitiveness. Rather than starting with low-risk experiments, companies are now targeting higher-impact use cases that address pressing business challenges.
Barriers to Success
JLL pinpoints organizational readiness—specifically, the quality of data, IT infrastructure, and change management—as the greatest obstacles to scalable results. Most firms still use AI on a surface level or struggle to integrate algorithms with real-time building data, which limits the system’s ability to optimize conditions and reduce waste. Experts note that connecting AI to existing automation, rather than relying solely on “smart buildings,” can yield equal or better outcomes, especially for older and mixed-age properties.
Insights from Sector Leaders
The report challenges the notion that technology alone is sufficient; successful AI deployment requires tailored digital roadmaps, robust data platforms, and embedding AI into everyday workflows. Sector specialists argue that the gap in business outcomes is not a failure of AI itself, but a reflection of limited and fragmented integration, as well as a lack of clear strategic focus and measurement.
Outlook and Recommendations
JLL and external experts agree that the next three to five years will be critical in determining whether the industry’s high adoption rate translates into significant, measurable returns. Inaction or slow progress may expose organizations to competitive risk, while those investing in foundational capabilities—like high-quality data and scalable digital infrastructure—are more likely to succeed.
While the real estate sector has rapidly embraced AI, low maturity levels and scaling issues persist, resulting in a small fraction of projects achieving their intended goals. Success depends not only on piloting new technology but also on strategic planning, organizational readiness, and an integrated approach to digital transformation within building operations. The coming years will reveal how well companies close the gap between AI ambition and results.
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