With snow covering the sidewalks of New York City, Inman Connect New York 2026 didn’t miss a beat. The three-day event saw thousands of attendees taking a deep dive into the biggest opportunities in the real estate space — especially the increasing role of artificial intelligence in the life of agents and brokerages.
Here are 4 perspectives on the AI revolution from speakers and attendees at ICNY 2026
Here comes the agentic revolution
“The biggest thing that’s going to happen this year is the shift from traditional AI to AI that is more autonomous, that acts more independently. It can become a true partner to real estate agents, as opposed to just a tool that does something you tell it to.”
–Dave Carter, Lofty, vice president of marketing
Don’t lose your voice
“From an efficiency perspective, I think of AI as a first step … It can sort of get us [on] the way, but it doesn’t get us all the way. We have a similar sort of philosophy with our agents. We don’t ever recommend our agents replace their voice with AI.”
–Wendy Forsythe, eXp, Chief Marketing Officer
Authenticity wins
“‘In a world shaped by AI, authenticity wins.’ For us, that message captures the heart of Inman 2026: technology will accelerate everything, but trust, personality, and being real are what truly differentiate great professionals.”
–NVM
The fifth revolution
“You’re lucky to be alive right now in what I think is a consequential moment in history. With AI, we’re entering the fifth industry revolution, but I also believe that it’s an optimistic future. You’re not replaceable. But AI will not save broken business models. If you’re lazy, it makes you irrelevant.”
–Brad Inman, Inman, founder
The conversations that drive real estate’s future
Attendees left ICNY 2026 with clear strategies for navigating the technological and economic forces shaping the industry’s next chapter, especially AI. One thing was clear: the future belongs to those who are open to evolving.
The next opportunity to be part of the conversation? Inman Connect San Diego 2026. Make plans to join us there this July.
