The AI Evolution: Moving From Implementation to Experience
AI was undoubtedly center stage at RETCON this year, with numerous sessions highlighting its transformative potential. In candid conversations with industry leaders, many acknowledged we're still in the early phases of truly integrating AI into meaningful resident and staff experiences.
Technology leaders shared how they're working through the initial implementation challenges toward more sophisticated applications. Operations professionals repeatedly emphasized the importance of creating systems that blend technological capabilities with genuine human connection.
There's an underlying current of excitement about determining the next operating model – how people will work in the next 5 years with AI enhancing staff workflows and resident experience. This represents perhaps the most significant opportunity in today's multifamily technology landscape: creating AI systems that feel genuinely helpful rather than merely efficient.
The companies generating the most interest at RETCON were those designing systems that understand context, recognize patterns in human behavior, and adapt to individual preferences over time. Ultimately, there's tremendous opportunity for proptech companies that focus on high-value service delivery, human connection, and freeing staff from mundane tasks to focus on meaningful interactions.
Role Evolution: Transformation Rather Than Replacement
One of the most encouraging themes from RETCON emerged in smaller group discussions, where success stories centered not on reducing staff but on elevating existing talent to more meaningful work. This approach represents a positive shift from earlier technology narratives.
Multiple management companies shared that their most successful technology implementations were those that enhanced their team members' capabilities rather than attempted to replace them. One operations director described how their technology investment evolved from a staff reduction strategy into a role transformation initiative with compelling results: reduced turnover, increased resident satisfaction, and improved NOI.
The key insight was reimagining traditional roles:
- Leasing agents becoming community-focused, spending more time on meaningful resident interactions rather than paperwork
- Maintenance staff shifting toward preventative approaches rather than just reactive repairs
- Property managers focusing more on community building and less on administrative tasks
This mindset shift—from technology as replacement to technology as enhancement—represents a significant opportunity for the industry moving forward.
Resident Empowerment: Building Community Through Participation
One of the most intriguing trends discussed at RETCON was the emergence of resident-driven operations models enabled by purpose-built technology platforms.
Several forward-thinking operators shared their early experiments with creating digital frameworks that allow residents to take on various community roles and offer "side hustle" on-site services:
- Experienced residents helping newcomers navigate their first weeks
- Residents organizing social gatherings through property platforms
- Residents assisting with vendor management
- Residents offering services to neighbors – concierge services, dog walking, pet sitting, errands, meal preparation, administrative support and more
"We're essentially creating a micro service economy within our communities," as one operator explained. Residents gain flexible income opportunities without commuting, properties enhance their service offerings, and communities develop more authentic connections.
This merger of the service economy with residential communities represents an exciting frontier with tremendous potential for enhancing both resident satisfaction and property performance.
The Simplification Imperative: The Amazon/Domino's Effect
While vendors at RETCON 2025 showcased feature-rich platforms, conversations with property professionals consistently highlighted a different priority: the need for simplification and modern user experiences.
Many technology leaders expressed a desire for more streamlined, interconnected systems with intuitive interfaces. The comparison to consumer technology came up repeatedly: "Our residents can track a pizza delivery in real-time with Domino's and order almost anything with one click on Amazon, but our staff needs multiple logins and numerous clicks to process basic transactions."
With a younger workforce increasingly expecting intuitive, mobile-first experiences, the opportunity to bridge this experience gap is substantial. The most compelling approaches at RETCON came from companies embracing consumer technology design principles—building streamlined tools with minimal learning curves that integrate seamlessly with existing systems.
As one operator succinctly put it: "We're not looking for more features; we're looking for fewer clicks." This focus on user experience represents a significant opportunity for companies willing to prioritize simplicity over feature proliferation.
Emerging Considerations: Future Focus Areas
Several important considerations emerged during RETCON 2025 that will likely gain greater prominence in future industry conversations:
Responsible AI Development
As AI systems become increasingly integral to residential operations, thoughtful conversations around implementation best practices are beginning to emerge. Forward-thinking operators and technology providers recognized the importance of considering multiple perspectives when deploying systems that impact resident living experiences.
With AI increasingly influencing aspects of residential life—from communication to maintenance to amenity access—creating balanced, transparent approaches will become increasingly important.
Broader Market Solutions
While luxury properties and Class A assets received significant attention, there's growing recognition of the opportunity to develop technology solutions for workforce housing, affordable developments, and middle-market communities where most Americans actually live.
Some of the most innovative companies at RETCON were specifically focusing on these underserved segments, creating solutions that deliver immediate operational value for properties operating with tighter margins.
Integration Advancements
Integration between different property technology systems remains a significant challenge and opportunity. While the industry hasn't yet developed comprehensive standards for data exchange, API frameworks, and interoperability, there's increasing awareness of the need for more collaborative approaches.
Several technology providers demonstrated promising solutions for connecting disparate systems, suggesting momentum toward more seamless technology ecosystems.
Data Governance Approaches
As properties collect increasingly detailed information about resident behaviors, preferences, and patterns, thoughtful approaches to data governance are becoming more important. Several forward-thinking operators and technology providers discussed their approaches to responsible data usage and management.
Developing comprehensive frameworks for data governance represents both a responsibility and an opportunity for industry leadership.
Looking Forward: The Path of Opportunity
As I reflect on RETCON 2025, I'm inspired by the innovative approaches and thoughtful discussions happening throughout the industry. The most valuable takeaways weren't necessarily found in the technologies prominently displayed, but in the emerging opportunities identified through countless conversations with industry leaders.
The multifamily operators positioned for success in the coming years will be those who recognize these opportunities: creating truly experiential AI, evolving roles rather than eliminating them, empowering residents as active participants, and embracing radical simplification.
While the industry collectively embraces an AI-enhanced, amenity-rich future, the true differentiators may well be the companies that focus on fundamental questions: What makes residents feel truly at home? How can technology enhance human connection? How do we create experiences as simple and satisfying as ordering from Amazon or tracking a Domino's pizza? And how might we build communities that people love rather than just buildings that people lease?
These questions, more than any particular technology showcased at RETCON 2025, will guide the next wave of successful innovation in multifamily real estate.
This article was produced by Multifamily Media Network as part of our coverage of RETCON 2025. The perspectives shared are based on conversations with industry participants and do not necessarily reflect the official positions of conference organizers or presenters.
