BIC TIP #1240: Do Not Get Replaced
Artificial intelligence is everywhere, and some agents are using it while others are, frankly, abusing it. Stephen Long has a simple message for North Carolina brokers: be the human element. You belong at the center of the transaction, and no chatbot should be taking your seat.
Stop Eating AI Sludge
There is a name floating around for the flood of generic, machine-made content clogging up social feeds: AI sludge. You have seen it. The same bland captions, the same robotic market updates, the same suspiciously perfect listing descriptions that say nothing at all.
Stephen’s advice is to stop consuming it and definitely stop producing it. Consumers can tell when nobody is home behind the content, and that does not build trust.
A Tool, Not a Replacement
None of this means you should swear off AI. Used well, it can help you write a first draft, organize your schedule, or summarize information faster. The key is that it should enhance you, making you better and more efficient at what you already do.
What it should not do is become the forward-facing version of you. Make sure people know who you are. Make sure you are the one making the decisions. Your judgment, your relationships, and your experience are the things clients actually pay for.
AI Makes Mistakes. You Own Them.
Stephen points out that AI makes a lot of mistakes and needs human oversight. In real estate, a wrong square footage, an inaccurate school claim, or a fair housing slip in a listing description is not a funny glitch. It is a problem with your name on it.
Everything AI touches should be reviewed by a licensed human before it goes out the door. If your firm has an AI policy, follow it, and if you are unsure, ask your broker-in-charge.
Authenticity Is Your Competitive Edge
When everyone else is copying and pasting the same machine-generated posts, the agent who sounds like a real person stands out. Getting overzealous and spraying AI content everywhere will cost you the one thing you cannot automate: your authenticity.
The Practical Takeaway
Use artificial intelligence to sharpen your work, not to replace your presence. Review everything it produces, keep your own voice in your marketing, and stay the decision-maker in every transaction. Be real, be present, and do not get replaced.
This BIC Tip is general real estate education for licensees and consumers, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Rules and forms change, so verify current NCREC rules, MLS rules, and standard forms, and consult a North Carolina attorney or qualified professional about your specific situation. See Disclaimers & Disclosures.
