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.*