A report from The Verge's Gaby Del Valle examines how generative AI is being used by real estate brokers to make rental listings look far better than the properties actually are, leaving renters disappointed and spending more time scrutinizing every listing.
One New Yorker, Joyce, searching for her first solo apartment in the city, found what she described as her "dream apartment" online—a reasonably priced Manhattan studio that appeared big, airy, and featured a fireplace. When she arrived, the apartment was much smaller than pictured, the kitchen sink was different, the stove was missing several knobs, and there was no fireplace. Her friend later told her they should have known the listing was AI-generated "because there was a plant on the gas stove in the picture."
Virtual staging itself is not new, but AI tools have changed the process. A Florida Realtor who goes by Bee told the outlet she uses ChatGPT to redecorate listing photos for clients, and said virtual staging typically costs $40 to $400 compared to thousands of dollars for real-life staging. Brokers have several virtual staging tools at their disposal, including Stuccco and BoxBrownie.