The future of CRE is being built on AI: What does it mean for you?

Commercial real estate is entering a period of rapid technological change. At the Montreal Real Estate Forum 2026, more than 1,600 senior decision-makers gathered, shaping the future of deals and decisions. Among the defining conversations was one that is becoming impossible to ignore: how emerging technologies are changing the way real estate is planned, operated, and experienced.

For CRE leaders, the challenge is no longer simply understanding what AI can do. It is determining where it can deliver meaningful value while navigating fragmented data, manual reporting, legacy systems, rising tenant expectations, and an increasingly technology-driven built environment. Throughout the event, we spoke exclusively with industry experts about where AI and automation are already making an impact — from how CRE leaders use data to make faster decisions, to how technology is reshaping tenant experiences, property operations, and the future of the built environment.

Preparing CRE for a technology-driven future

Nikki Greenberg, Futurist, Real Estate of the Future, brings a forward-looking perspective on how AI and emerging technologies will reshape the built environment. Her insights explore how changing customer expectations, robotics, autonomous vehicles, and AI-driven mobility are already challenging the way cities and buildings are designed and experienced. For CRE leaders thinking about the long-term future of their assets, Nikki offers a glimpse into the technologies and expectations that will shape the next generation of real estate:

What does this mean for the future of CRE? Technology is evolving faster than the built environment, making digitisation increasingly important for owners, developers and operators looking to remain competitive.

Turning CRE data into better decisions

Kevin Ferah, Co-founder & VP of Sales, Beem Data, brings a practical perspective on one of CRE’s biggest operational challenges: fragmented data and manual reporting. His experience demonstrates how automation and AI can eliminate time-consuming processes, give leaders greater confidence in their numbers, and turn data into actionable insights. For CRE organisations looking to improve efficiency without building large internal technology teams, Kevin's perspective provides a real-world look at how automation can transform everyday decision-making:

The key takeaway? Automation is not simply about reducing administrative work. It gives CRE leaders the ability to spend less time managing data and more time understanding it, acting on it, and using it to drive strategy.

Reinventing the tenant experience through AI

Karole-Anne Gagnon, Founder & President, Gestion Accelia, brings the conversation into the day-to-day realities of property management. Her experience demonstrates how AI is already being used to improve tenant communication, streamline operations, and help property teams manage changing market conditions. For property managers facing growing expectations around responsiveness and service, Karole-Anne's perspective provides a real-world look at where AI can have an immediate impact:

The message is clear: AI is becoming part of the tenant experience — not simply a technology operating behind the scenes.

The next chapter of CRE is already underway

The challenges facing commercial real estate are becoming more complex, but so are the tools available to address them. The perspectives shared at the Montreal Real Estate Forum 2026 demonstrate that AI is already moving beyond experimentation and into the everyday operations of CRE. From eliminating manual processes and improving decision-making to creating more responsive tenant experiences and preparing buildings for emerging technologies, AI is giving owners, developers, and operators new ways to create value.

The opportunity now is to move from simply talking about AI to identifying where it can make a measurable difference across the business.

Want to continue the conversation? Join 800+ senior real estate leaders at the Ottawa Real Estate Forum this October: where industry experts will explore the market trends, investment opportunities, and strategies shaping Ottawa and the broader National Capital Region — including how AI is changing the way real estate professionals work.