AI enhancement of real estate pictures has become pretty standard – but where do we draw the line?
By Isra'a Emhail of RNZ
Ray White real estate agent Philip Reeve, who has more than 20 years' experience, says he’s personally not seen extreme examples in New Zealand, but one he spotted in Australia prompted him to post a reminder on the dos and don’ts of AI use.
"To my mind, I owe it to vendors to represent the property accurately. But I also owe it to buyers not to waste their time."
Each person's moral compass will dictate how AI is used, Reeve says.
"I know some of them [real estate agents] will probably want to make the property look a bit better than it actually is. But it is a very fine line. I've always been a full disclosure, present things as they are type of approach."
Real estate agent turned photographer Leon Thomason of BuildVision says AI is being used in most of his work to some degree – but it’s usually subtle enough that you wouldn’t know.
"It's helping us unlock new avenues, it's helping us improve our quality, it's making things a lot more engaging."
How is AI being used in real estate photos?
Thomason says they use Photoshop’s AI tool for minor adjustments like removing rubbish bins or TV cords. Whereas before this would be done on request, clients now have an expectation it will always be done. They also virtually stage rooms using AI.
"The bins are always quite bright, and they really do stand out in photos. But now I look at where the bins are and I go, 'is this going to be easier to do with AI than it is to actually move the bins?'"
For requests that go a stretch further, like asking for a brand-new roof, Thomason says they remind clients about obligations not to mislead.
"It's not something we'll do without being asked … Typically, if we get asked to do it, it's normally for a reason. A lot of the time it means the homeowner is just wanting it to be replaced before sale and so … it's more about being able to take the photo to not hold up the campaign."
More commonly, land sellers want to see an AI render of what could be built to help potential buyers envision a plan, Thomason says.
Is it allowed?
Real estate agents have legal and regulatory requirements to abide by, including for marketing and promotional materials like images.
University of Auckland marketing professional teaching fellow Katherine Jensen says the government has taken a "light touch" approach by using existing legislation.
"I think that governance often is required from an individual company level because there's not necessarily specific safeguards in place from sort of a legislative perspective."
Jensen says, even from an ethical point of view, AI use in photos should be limited to low-risk applications like removing temporary clutter or lightening up a photo – "the types of photo editing that's been done for a long time anyway, without the use of AI". A high-risk application that may mislead can include, for example, touch-ups of paint that weren’t done or changing the window view.
Reeve says it’s a matter of concealment versus visualisation. If a property has a power pylon, for example, and it's digitally removed, that's deception. Artificially enlarging a room or hiding damage would also not pass the test, he says.
Sowing lush green grass may be okay, Reeve says, but it still needs an AI disclosure.
"I think the same thing goes with digital staging.
"The problem with digital staging as well is angles… Unless you're careful digitally dressing a house, that might alter where a window is or where a lounge suite is placed in the different images."
Real Estate Authority chief executive Belinda Moffat says they’ve issued guidance emphasising care around use of AI tools, including that "marketing may create interest but should not be misleading".
Marketing photos should be "a true representation" of the property, whether that’s been digitally enhanced through AI or virtually staged or shot with a wide lens, Moffat says.
As well as disclosure, REA also recommend "careful human oversight".
What's the deal with skies?
It doesn’t matter if it's a sunny day or overcast, all of BuildVision’s property images get a sky replacement, Thomason says. And one photo is usually AI enhanced for a dusk sky effect, which they believe helps the listing stand out.
"We've spent years and years and years buying different lenses, using different cameras to figure out how best to capture a dusk light… But now that we have AI, it's actually better and easier to use a fake sunset every single time."
Because that is done on one photo in a set, there’s usually no major consistency issues with how it appears, he says. "So a lot of the time, all we're doing is manipulating a daytime shot and making it into sunset."
Does AI mean less time editing and cheaper packages?
Not necessarily. Thomason says it still costs a lot to use the required software and can be time-consuming to get it right.
"Each time you push generate to remove something or create a new image, we are actually spending quite a lot of money."
That applies to AI use on real estate videos too.
"Photoshop is the cheapest, but the issue that we come into when doing a lot of AI video stuff is that if the generation that you've made is not perfect from the first go, then you actually have to click generate again with a better prompt. And if you have to do that five times on one video, you might spend $20 on five seconds. That's not actually cost that we can pass through."
How can I be sure?
If you're looking to buy a property and worried about AI, talking to the agent is a good start, Reeve says.
Among your usual list of questions, add in: "Are the online photos an accurate representation of the property? Is there anything we need to know that's beyond the frame?"
Real estate agents are legally bound to "not mislead a customer or client, nor provide false information, nor withhold information that should by law or in fairness be provided to a customer or client".
People may also use AI checkers online, but Reeve says these can be wrong too.
REA also recommend prospective buyers personally inspect properties or have someone they trust do so.
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