At this year’s RETCON 2026 in New York City, the country’s top owners, operators, developers, and tech innovators gathered to reimagine the future of the built environment. With real estate at a pivotal point, technology has become a driving force in ways previously unimagined. The consensus was clear: the future belongs to those who utilize innovation specifically, clean data, and AI, to scale their success.
Harnessing Clean Data for the Future of AI
AI has moved past the "buzzword" stage into a period of wildflower adoption. Industry leaders emphasized that the strength of any AI is only as good as the clean data powering it.
- Generative AI in Action: Yao Morin, JLL’s Chief Technology Officer, highlighted JLL’s proprietary GPT model used by 100,000 employees for analysis and communication. "If you get the right technology that’s useful, you’ll see wildflower adoption," she noted.
- Efficiency vs. Predictive Value: Luke Petherbridge, CEO of Link Logistics, observed that while the first wave of AI focuses on efficiency (accounting and insights), the real value lies in predictive models that forecast rents and asset performance.
- Incremental Wins: VTS CEO Nick Romito reflected on the early days of PropTech, noting that the goal is to solve meaningful pain points incrementally. "You have to get them to believe in your technology by solving meaningful pain points... With every win, you gain more trust."
Prioritizing Tenant Retention
In a shifting market, creating a "campus environment" through technology is essential for keeping tenants in place.
- Cohesive Experiences: Nick Romito emphasized that VTS Activate was built to solve the "disjointed" experience of multiple apps. Instead of tenants feeling restricted to their specific square footage, a connected portfolio allows them to feel as though they have access to millions of square feet.
- Frictionless living: Luke Petherbridge compared modern real estate expectations to services like Uber Eats. "You need to make the customer feel like they are the center of your business," he explained.
- The Connected Portfolio: For multifamily and retail, leaders like Cynthia Fisher (KETTLER) are using tech to speed up renewals and decision-making, allowing on-site teams to focus on high-touch service.
The Near Future of ESG: Beyond the Conversation
While Europe leads in ESG regulation, U.S. leaders are navigating how to move from carbon-reduction goals into actionable, cost-effective strategies.
- Demand for Green Space: Yao Morin predicted that in the next five years, the demand for carbon-reduced office space will exceed supply by 3x.
- The Octopus of Regulation: Cynthia Fisher described ESG as an "octopus" that grows larger and more expensive. She stressed that leadership must come from the top down to balance wellness factors with the necessary investment.
- Powering AI: Luke Petherbridge highlighted a new challenge: the massive amount of power absorbed by AI. Sustainable power will be key to offsetting this increased demand with higher operational efficiencies.
Data, Technology, and the Necessary Buy-in
The most advanced tool is useless without adoption. Success in 2026 requires more than just a software purchase; it requires a cultural shift.
- Top-Down Intent: Both Nick Romito and Luke Petherbridge agreed that buy-in for data-driven strategies must come from the CEO down.
- Empowering Teams: Cynthia Fisher highlighted that technology is not taking jobs away; it is empowering on-site staff to focus on investment opportunities and high-touch sales, rather than manual data entry.
Visit: Win Residents with Technology in a Stagnant Market
Looking Ahead
The ability to leverage clean data will continue to separate the winners from the losers in the real estate industry. Adopting cutting-edge technology today that scales for tomorrow is critical for business innovation.
Learn more about VTS Activate, the configurable platform designed to connect your portfolio, improve tenant experience, and drive data-backed decisions.
Quick FAQs
1. Why is "Clean Data" so important for AI in 2026?
As discussed at RETCON, AI models for accounting or rent prediction are only accurate if the underlying data is consistent. "Dirty" data leads to flawed predictions, which is why top firms are prioritizing data science teams to verify their proprietary metrics before feeding them into AI agents.
2. How does VTS Activate solve the "Multiple App" problem?
Tenants currently face "app fatigue" from using different systems for entrance, desk booking, and communications. VTS Activate consolidates these into a single, cohesive interface, making the workplace feel like a unified campus rather than a collection of disjointed tools.
3. Will ESG continue to be a priority despite high costs?
Yes. While costs are being scrutinized, the "Social" and "Environmental" aspects are becoming table stakes for Fortune 500 tenants. As Yao Morin noted, demand for carbon-reduced space is set to outpace supply 3-to-1, meaning green buildings will likely command higher premiums and better tenant retention.
