Inside JLL’s 2025 Global Real Estate Technology Survey

Artificial intelligence is fast becoming one of the biggest disruptors in commercial real estate, with organisations shifting from cautious experimentation to large scale strategic adoption. According to JLL’s 2025 Global Real Estate Technology Survey, which gathered views from more than 1,500 senior investors and occupier decision makers across 16 global markets, 88% of investors, owners and landlords have now started piloting AI initiatives, each exploring an average of five use cases at the same time. Among occupiers, 92% are running corporate real estate AI pilots.

This represents a major change in mindset. Only a small number of companies, fewer than five percent, had begun testing AI just two years ago. Now almost every major real estate player is experimenting with AI as it becomes a competitive necessity. The survey shows that the industry is moving from focusing purely on efficiency to targeting growth and long term business impact. Around 87% of respondents said their real estate technology budgets have increased because of AI and more than half have seen significant budget growth even with economic challenges.

Investors are now putting their focus on strategic advice around AI and technology for the next two years, while also upgrading cyber and data security systems to support integration. JLL’s chief technology officer Yao Morin explained that companies investing early in strong data platforms are now leading the way. Morin said that a robust data foundation is essential for growth and that organisations preparing for advanced AI applications will continue to gain momentum and stay ahead of the competition.

Despite the rapid progress, adoption does not yet equal maturity. Only five percent of companies report achieving all their AI programme goals while almost half have met two or three. The most successful investors are those taking a structured and consistent approach by developing tailored roadmaps, investing in high quality data and embedding AI into everyday workflows. This deliberate strategy is widening the gap between early leaders and those still finding their place in the market.

The urgency is becoming clear. JLL warns that standing still will not only slow progress but could risk market relevance as the industry increasingly rewards those who lead on technology. Yet more than 60% of investors remain unprepared both technically and strategically to adopt AI at full scale.

Sharad Rastogi, chief executive of JLL’s Work Dynamics Technology Group, explained that success depends on linking vision with delivery. He said that effective AI implementation begins with a clear strategic direction that connects technology to business goals. It also depends on the right mix of internal expertise and external partnerships to build skills, embed governance and create lasting capability.

For facilities management professionals, these findings bring both a challenge and an opportunity. AI is no longer simply about automating tasks or cutting costs. It is transforming how buildings are managed, how energy is optimised, how spaces are used and how decisions are made. As FM teams take greater responsibility for data, sustainability and operational intelligence, they will become central to helping organisations use AI responsibly and effectively.

The message is clear. AI has moved from being an experiment in the back office to a central priority in the boardroom. Those who invest now in skills, data and strong governance will shape the future of the built environment.