I'm heading to Inman Connect San Diego with one very important question: Who is showing me another AI feature, and who is actually changing how agents work? Those are two extremely different companies.
Artificial intelligence will be part of the technology conversation at Inman. There will be no shortage of companies showing agents new AI features. The harder question is whether those features change the work itself. That is the distinction I will be looking for.
What separates an AI feature from a change in how agents work?
A feature gives an agent another capability. A meaningful change affects how the work gets done.
The difference is not whether artificial intelligence appears inside the product. The difference is what happens after the demonstration. Does the agent still return to the same process, the same repeated steps, and the same disconnected work? Or does the technology remove part of that work and create a simpler way to move through it?
Real estate agents do not need AI to sell. The question is whether the technology changes the work surrounding the agent and the transaction.
That is where the distinction becomes practical. Does the product add another feature to manage, or does it change the agent's workflow?
What should real estate agents ask about AI at Inman?
The most useful question may not be, "What can your AI do?" A better question is, "What does the agent no longer have to do after using it?"
That forces the conversation away from a list of features and toward the work itself. It also reveals whether the company understands where the work actually leaks in real estate.
The answer should be visible in the agent's day. If the agent leaves the demonstration with another tool but the same workflow, the technology may be new without changing much.
That is why I see two extremely different kinds of companies at Inman: companies presenting another AI feature, and companies changing how agents work.
Where can you meet Judd Hoffman and Ethica at Inman Connect San Diego?
Inman Connect San Diego runs from July 28 through July 30, 2026, at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina.
Come by Booth 302 and say hello to the Ethica team.
On Thursday, July 30, at 12:15 p.m. Pacific Time, I will also speak with Phil Hawkins, CEO of the California Association of REALTORS, about artificial intelligence and real estate.
I look forward to seeing you there.
Judd Hoffman is CEO and Co-Founder of Ethica AI, building AI-powered tools for real estate transaction workflows.
Quick takes
What question is Judd Hoffman taking to Inman Connect San Diego?
Judd Hoffman is asking which companies are showing real estate agents another AI feature and which companies are actually changing how agents work. He argues that those represent two fundamentally different kinds of technology companies.
How should real estate agents evaluate AI tools?
Real estate agents should look beyond a product demonstration and ask what changes in their daily work after adopting the tool. A meaningful AI product should reduce a step, remove repetition, or simplify the workflow rather than add another disconnected feature to manage.
What is Inman Connect San Diego 2026?
Inman Connect San Diego 2026 is a real estate industry event taking place July 28 through July 30, 2026, at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina. Judd Hoffman is listed as a speaker at the event.
Where can attendees meet Ethica at Inman Connect San Diego?
Attendees can meet Judd Hoffman and the Ethica team at Booth 302 during Inman Connect San Diego. Judd also invites attendees to hear his Thursday conversation about AI with California Association of REALTORS CEO Phil Hawkins.
Who is Phil Hawkins?
Phil Hawkins is the Chief Executive Officer of the California Association of REALTORS, a role he has held since 2024. He previously served as CEO of the Pacific West Association of REALTORS.
Who is Judd Hoffman?
Judd Hoffman is CEO and Co-Founder of Ethica AI, a company building AI-powered voice tools for real estate transaction workflows, backed by the California Association of REALTORS. He has nearly three decades of operating experience, including more than 15 years across real estate title, transactions, and technology.
What is Ethica AI?
Ethica AI is a real estate technology company building an AI-powered platform that allows real estate agents to complete transaction forms by speaking naturally instead of filling out PDFs manually. Ethica is backed by the California Association of REALTORS as a free member benefit for more than 190,000 members.
Sources
- Real Estate Agents Do Not Need AI to Sell: On why the point of AI in real estate is not to help agents sell, which they already do well, but to change the work surrounding the agent and the transaction.
- Where The Money Actually Leaks In Real Estate: On why the AI winners in real estate attack the boring workflow rather than chatbots, and where the work and the money actually leak out of a transaction.
Transcript
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I'm heading to Inman today with one very important question: Who's showing me another AI feature, but who's actually changing how agents work? Those are two extremely different companies. Look forward to seeing you there. Come by and say hello. Booth 302, Ethica, or hear me and Phil, the CEO of C.A.R., talking about AI at 12:15 on Thursday.
