AI Is No Longer Optional: Why Smart Agents Are Adapting Now
- Coldwell Banker Premier Realty
- Sep 4
- 5 min read
AI is no longer a distant tech trend, it’s here and it’s transforming the way real estate agents get found, recommended and ultimately hired. During a high-attendance sales meeting, special guest Kanani Ching, Broker in Charge at CB Island Properties in Hawai'i, offered a practical, data-backed roadmap to help agents elevate their visibility in the age of AI. This wasn’t about future speculation, it was a call to immediate action.
From shifting how consumers search to real-world tools and prompts, Kanani showed agents how to position themselves as the top recommendation when buyers ask ChatGPT or Gemini, “Who’s the best real estate agent in Summerlin?” In this blog, we’ll walk through her biggest takeaways, including how to build online authority, leverage answer-engine optimization (AEO) and prepare for the next wave of AI-powered real estate marketing.
Meet the Panelist: Kanani Ching
Kanani Ching is no stranger to innovation. Based in Hawaii and long celebrated as a forward-thinking leader within the Coldwell Banker network, she brings deep experience in real estate sales and brokerage leadership. Her recent focus? Helping agents understand and embrace artificial intelligence as a practical tool for lead generation and consumer connection. Whether training her local team or presenting nationally at events like Gen Blue, Kanani is committed to keeping agents ahead of the curve with strategies they can apply now.
Why Visibility is Changing
We’re no longer living in a world where people “Google” their agent. Increasingly, they’re asking AI assistants like ChatGPT, “Who’s the best real estate agent in this city?” and relying on those answers to make decisions. And here’s the kicker: these tools only suggest a few names. If you’re not one of them, your chances of being discovered dramatically shrink.
AI tools evaluate contextual information and deliver answers, not lists. If you’re not in the top three responses, you may be invisible to today’s digital consumer. In fact, 92% of people don’t even scroll beyond the initial AI-generated overview.
From SEO to AEO: The Rise of Answer-Engine Optimization
Kanani introduced a powerful concept: Answer-Engine Optimization (AEO). Unlike traditional SEO, which focuses on keywords for search engines, AEO prioritizes clear, specific, and helpful content that positions you as the best answer to a consumer's question.
To increase your ranking in AI recommendations, your online presence must be consistent and rich with value. Think about your bio, your services and your market expertise. Do they clearly communicate what you do, who you help, and what makes you different? Because AI is reading all of it, and deciding who to suggest based on it.
Start with the Right Platforms
The good news? You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Kanani urged agents to begin by optimizing the profiles they already have: Zillow, Realtor.com, RateMyAgent, LinkedIn, YouTube and your personal website. These are the most commonly crawled platforms by AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini.
She emphasized the importance of optimizing the AI crawlability in your online profiles: make sure you are very specific about what you do and who you help (helping buyers relocationg to Summerlin), while being hyperlocal, and answering frequently asked questions. AI will do the rest.
What You Should Do Right Now
Log out of your accounts and search for yourself using ChatGPT, Gemini, or CoPilot. Try prompts like “Who is the best agent in Las Vegas/Henderson/Summerlin?” or “Top Realtor for relocations in Las Vegas.”
Note who shows up and on which platforms. Study those profiles to learn what’s working.
Update your own bios and website language with clear, specific, helpful details. Focus on answering the most common questions asked by buyers and sellers.
Highlight your niche and be hyperlocal. Whether it’s luxury listings, military relocations, or first-time buyers, make that information easy to find. Become hyperlocal by always including location-specific details like neighborhood or street names and local landmarks.
Review your social media content. Is your expertise visible? Are you answering common buyer/seller questions in your posts?
Custom GPTs: Answer Questions About Your Business
Kanani introduced a forward-looking tool for agents looking to level up: Custom GPTs. These tailored versions of ChatGPT can be trained to answer questions about your real estate business 24/7. Whether someone wants to know your specialties, coverage area, or approach, your Custom GPT can provide quick and accurate responses without you lifting a finger.
For agents ready to scale their time and improve their digital service, creating a Custom GPT is an opportunity to serve more leads, more consistently and more automatically.
Voice Mode, Agent Mode and Automation
If you haven’t tried it yet, Coldwell Banker Premier Realty also encourages exploring ChatGPT-5’s mobile voice mode. Speaking directly to the app allows for more natural engagement, perfect for role playing, script practice, and objection handling.
We also suggest experimenting with Agent Mode and Connectors, features that allow ChatGPT to interact with other tools or platforms to automate repetitive tasks. Whether you’re scheduling appointments or sending reminder emails, these features can be used to build automation into your workflows.
AI Isn't The Enemy, It's Advancing With You
Kanani emphasized that AI isn’t here to replace agents, it’s here to free up their time. Automating tasks like drafting emails, updating CRMs, or writing listing descriptions allows agents to focus on what matters most: building client relationships and closing deals.
“Clicking drives me nuts,” she joked, but the message was clear; efficiency matters, and AI can help you get there. These tools are also getting smarter. The more you engage with them, the more useful they become. Kanani shared a resource toolkit to help agents increase their visibility and stay top of mind, not just with clients, but with the AI tools shaping how those clients search.
Final Thoughts
AI isn’t coming, it’s here and it’s recommending real estate agents every day. The question is: will it recommend you?
With Kanani Ching’s roadmap, Coldwell Banker Premier Realty agents have a clear, actionable way to improve their digital presence and unlock new opportunities. Begin by optimizing the platforms you already use, focus on clarity and helpfulness, and embrace tools that buy back your time. Because in an industry where reputation, responsiveness and relationships matter, being the answer isn’t just a digital strategy, it’s your next competitive edge.
Watch the Full Meeting Replay Here.
We also invite you to be our guest at an upcoming sales meeting, immerse yourself in our high-energy, collaborative culture and discover what sets us apart. Your next level in real estate starts here!
Comments