New Inman contributor Ryan Garson writes that while AI won’t replace expert knowledge, it can help organize thinking, explore real-world perspectives, and identify gaps in existing content.
Four years ago, it took me almost a year to write a book about real estate. My latest one took a weekend.
Same author. It’s the same voice. Same market knowledge. A completely different process.
And no, the AI did not “write my book for me.” It did something more valuable. It gave me my time back.
I’m a Manhattan-based agent, team leader, content creator, and founder of a real estate marketing agency. Like most agents, my days were filled with copy, CMAs, follow-up emails, content ideas, and making lists of prep work that needed to be done before the actual work (clients, negotiations, deals) began.
That’s what first led me to AI. It’s not curiosity. survival.
From skeptics to power users
My first experience with AI was mind-blowing. We asked ChatGPT to write a description for the list. It was common. It’s certainly sophisticated, but lifeless. I’ve written almost everything.
A breakthrough happened when we stopped treating AI like a magic trick and started treating it like a junior assistant.
Rather than have them do my job, I asked them to:
I left out the parts that only I can do.
Market nuances Strategy Decision making Human judgment
That change changed everything.
How I actually wrote the book
When I decided to write AI for real estate, I didn’t sit down with a blank slate. We have adjusted the system.
I used Perplexity to research trends, questions agents are asking, and gaps in existing AI content. We used Grok to scan real conversations that agents were having online. Interviews were conducted using ChatGPT. I had 25 questions about my experience, my workflow, and what agents really struggle with. I answered by voice memo instead of typing. I used Claude to organize everything into a clean structure.
AI didn’t invent the idea. A pattern began to emerge faster than I could have done on my own. What used to take weeks of outlining and rewriting is now done in hours.
The real advantage is not speed, but leverage
It wasn’t important to write the book so quickly. The key was to recognize that the same systems were working everywhere in the business.
Currently, I’m using a custom AI setup (I call it Custom GPT) for a specific role.
Market analysis Pricing explanation Listing draft Negotiation preparation Content planning Client communication
Each one is trained based on my voice, my standards, and my market. That’s an important distinction that most agents overlook.
Generic AI returns generic results. Customized AI makes it possible.
What’s good about AI (and what’s bad about it)?
Here’s the honest truth agents need to hear: AI is great at:
First draft Synthesizing research Structuring messy information Save time on preparatory work
The AI is terrible in the following ways:
Read seller emotions Navigate the co-op bulletin board Understand why deals are different on one side of the street Make decisions under pressure
That’s why AI won’t replace agents, but agents who use AI well will absolutely replace agents who don’t.
What this means for the future of your business
We are entering a phase where agents are splitting into two camps. One group uses AI to reduce busywork and double down on relationships, strategy, and negotiations. Another group continues to do everything manually and wonder why they’re getting burnt out.
The agents who win are not the most tech-savvy. They will be the ones who know where AI ends and human values begin.
That’s what this book is really about. It’s not a tool or a prompt, it’s a way to think differently about leverage in a relationship-driven business.
AI won’t replace your expertise, but it will show if you’re leveraging it.
Ryan Garson is an agent with Compass New York City and CEO and founder of @verysocialnyc. Connect with him on Instagram and LinkedIn.
