Every piece of information is critical to a successful real estate transaction. There is no room for bad information. Yet, scammers have been increasingly targeting real estate with disinformation. It could be leaving you and your clients in doubt about what you can trust.
In today’s interconnected world, disinformation—which refers to deliberately misleading or false information—is flourishing. In fact, the World Economic Forum has identified misinformation and disinformation as one of the top global threats. Disinformation can be created and spread through social media, news outlets, and online forums. It can take many forms, including fake news articles, manipulated images, deepfake audio and videos, and misleading social media posts.
However, with the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), new solutions are emerging to combat disinformation. AI-driven technologies can play a crucial role in detecting, analyzing and preventing the spread of false or misleading information across digital platforms. But AI also can be part of the problem in leading to disinformation, presenting a double-edged sword to the technology.
The Growing Threat of Disinformation in Real Estate
AI is a powerful tool with incredible potential, but like any technology, it comes with both opportunities and challenges. Specifically, AI can be used to create some forms of disinformation, including:
- False market trends—Inaccurate information about housing prices, interest rates or market demand that can create panic or unrealistic expectations among buyers and sellers who could use this as indicators of when to purchase or sell homes.
- Fraudulent property listings—Fake inventory can trick buyers and renters into paying deposits for homes that don’t exist.
- Fake AI-generated property documents—Falsified titles and deeds, wire transfer documents, and contracts can be used to deceive buyers and sellers.
- AI-generated images or videos—Misleading visuals can misrepresent the condition or features of a property.
- Fake AI identities—People who don’t exist can be created to impersonate agents and brokers online and used to steal money or gain access to sensitive personal information.
- Fake reviews, testimonials, articles, emails and other communications—These can be used to mislead buyers and sellers and motivate them to act under false pretenses.
The consequences of unchecked disinformation can be severe. It can erode trust, create confusion, cause errors and lead to fraud.
Traditional fact-checking methods, while effective, struggle to keep up with the sheer volume and speed at which disinformation nowadays can spread. This is where AI can be harnessed for good, as a powerful tool to combat disinformation.
How AI Identifies Disinformation
AI leverages advanced technologies to detect disinformation, including:
- Natural Language Processing (NLP) for Content Analysis—AI-powered NLP algorithms analyze the structure, language patterns, and sentiment of articles, posts, and comments to detect anomalies. By comparing content against credible sources, AI can flag suspicious claims and assess the reliability of information.
- Image and Video Verification—AI uses computer vision to analyze metadata, detect inconsistencies, and identify digitally altered images and videos. Advanced algorithms can spot subtle changes that might escape human detection, such as inconsistencies in facial movements or lighting.
- Social Media Behavior Analysis—AI can track the spread of information across social media platforms by analyzing sharing patterns, bot activity and engagement levels. Suspicious behaviors such as coordinated sharing by fake accounts or rapid reposting of misleading content can be detected and flagged for review.
- Fact-Checking Automation—AI systems work with human fact-checkers to accelerate the verification process. Systems can cross-reference claims with reputable sources in real time, providing users with immediate feedback on the credibility of the content under review.
Using AI to Prevent the Spread of Disinformation
Beyond detection, AI also can be used to prevent the spread of disinformation—protecting you and your business interests.
AI-driven content moderation tools can automatically remove or flag false content before it reaches a wide audience. AI can be used to provide context, fact-check labels and assess credibility scores to inform users about potentially misleading content in raising user awareness. Also, AI can optimize social media algorithms to prioritize reliable and verified information while reducing the visibility of harmful content.
Real estate professionals can stay-on-alert by implementing processes to ensure the accuracy and reliability of information that fuels their business, such as by:
- Always clearly and proactively share accurate information through your company’s official channels.
- Stay engaged with your stakeholders and directly address any concerns with clients, investors and colleagues.
- Watch social media and credible news outlets and immediately correct any false information.
Make guarding against disinformation part of your business model. It will help you maintain trust and credibility—and maximize business opportunities.
The Future of AI in Combating Disinformation
While AI offers powerful solutions, it is far from perfect. AI models can sometimes produce false positives, misidentifying legitimate content as misinformation. So, as disinformation tactics continue to evolve, AI systems must continue to adapt and improve, too.
Looking ahead, AI will play an increasingly vital role in maintaining the integrity of online information. Advances in machine learning models, improved collaboration between stakeholders, and greater public awareness will contribute to a more resilient information ecosystem.
By understanding and embracing AI-driven solutions and fostering digital literacy, real estate professionals can take meaningful steps toward mitigating the impact of disinformation and ensuring the use of accurate and verified information in every business transaction.
Author
Sharon Love-Bates
Sharon Love-Bates is Director, Emerging Technology within the Strategic Business, Innovation & Technology group at the National Association of REALTORS®.
References
Elsner, M.: G. Atkinson; S. Zahidi; Global Risks Report 2025, World Economic Forum, 15 January 2025, https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-risks-report-2025/digest/
Hawkins, T.; “You Can Stop AI From Spreading False Real Estate Info,” REALTOR® Magazine, 7 March 2023, https://www.nar.realtor/magazine/real-estate-news/technology/you-can-stop-ai-from-spreading-false-real-estate-info
