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AI moves from tech showcase to real estate construction sites, say developers and techies at CREDAI NATCON 2026
Artificial intelligence is moving beyond technology sector and beginning to find practical applications across real estate, leaders said at CREDAI NATCON 2026
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Artificial intelligence is moving beyond the technology sector and beginning to find practical applications across real estate, from project planning and construction monitoring to customer engagement and building operations, developers and technology companies said at CREDAI NATCON 2026 in Kolkata.
The three-day convention, being held from October 2 to 4 at ITC Royal Bengal, has placed technology and innovation at the centre of discussions, with a dedicated AI and Innovation Hub showcasing PropTech, construction technology, smart-building solutions, SaaS platforms and digital tools.
The growing focus on AI in real estate comes at a time when the technology is also receiving sustained attention at the national level. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly emphasised the role of AI in transforming sectors and has pushed for wider, responsible and inclusive adoption. India hosted the AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi in February 2026, where Modi described AI as a technology with applications across sectors and stressed innovation, accessibility and responsible use.
The message was reinforced at the 18th BRICS Summit held in New Delhi in September. The BRICS New Delhi Declaration recognised AI as an opportunity to promote economic growth and sustainable development and called for cooperation to make AI safer, more inclusive and accessible. The summit also linked AI with other emerging technologies and innovation.
For real estate, the shift is increasingly from discussing AI as a futuristic technology to identifying specific problems it can solve. “India’s urbanisation is going to change the scale at which we develop real estate. By 2047, we will have a much larger urban population and will need to build significantly more homes. The question is how we manage that scale while maintaining quality and efficiency. Technology and innovation will have an important role to play here. The industry will have to look at new technologies, understand where they can make a difference and encourage their adoption as the requirements of our cities change,” said Shekhar Patel, president, CREDAI.
“Technology is changing the way we need to think about real estate. The process cannot remain limited to the traditional way of setting up, buying land, managing a project and selling it. There is a need to look at the entire process differently. The Innovation Hub at NATCON is an attempt to bring some of these changes into the discussion. For the industry, the important thing is to understand these changes and see how they can be applied to the way we develop and redevelop our cities,” said Boman Irani, Chairman, CREDAI.
On construction sites, AI can help developers monitor work more continuously rather than depending only on periodic inspections. Digital and robotic monitoring can identify deviations, while AI-enabled quality checks can flag problems at an early stage.
“On a construction project, a lot of time goes into checking whether work is happening as planned and whether the quality is where it should be. Technology is making some of these checks much easier. AI-enabled quality checks can pick up deviations at an early stage, while robotic and digital monitoring can give project teams a closer view of work on site," said Amit Modi, director, County Group.
“We are also looking at 3D printing for areas where greater precision and repeatability are useful. These are practical applications, and that is where I see the technology having the most relevance for real estate. It can help teams catch problems earlier and spend more time on the work that requires their judgement. And most importantly, we need them for the kind of real estate development country expects in the future,” said Modi.
AI is also being used to understand buyers better. Developers can analyse customer enquiries, track buying patterns and identify the issues that influence decisions.
“AI is finding its way into real estate in fairly ordinary ways. A developer can use it to look at customer enquiries, understand what buyers are asking for, monitor sales and get a clearer picture of how a project is performing. On the construction side, AI-based quality checks and robotic monitoring can help teams keep track of work without relying entirely on periodic inspections. 3D printing is another area worth watching as construction methods change," said Salil Kumar, director, sales and marketing, CRC Group.
"I don't think every new technology will have the same use across projects. What matters is whether it solves a problem on the ground, saves time or gives the project team information that they did not have before,” Kumar said.
Akhil Saraf, founder and CEO, Reloy, said the adoption of AI would ultimately have to be linked to measurable business outcomes. “AI in real estate should deliver higher sales or lower costs. In sales and marketing, the bigger opportunity is to understand homebuyers better, build stronger relationships and improve conversions."
"Construction can account for roughly 30–40% of a project’s sales value, depending on the market and project type, making waste reduction, better planning and fewer delays valuable areas for AI adoption. Developers should start with the business outcome and invest where AI can make a measurable difference,” he said.
The emphasis at NATCON reflects a wider change in the sector. As projects become larger and cities expand, developers are looking at technology not merely as an additional feature but as a tool to improve planning, reduce waste, monitor construction, understand customers and manage buildings more efficiently.
For an industry preparing to build at a much larger scale, the question is therefore shifting from whether AI belongs in real estate to where it can deliver measurable results.
“NATCON gives us a rare opportunity to engage with over 1,000 real estate developers and start a much-needed conversation about the homebuyer’s experience. In the race for leads and sales, we often overlook the customer’s anxieties, preferences and motivations. AI can change this by turning every interaction into actionable intelligence and enabling personalised conversations at scale. Our mission at NATCON is to give the real estate industry a ‘Second Brain’—one that remembers, understands and responds to every customer in a more personalised and meaningful way,” said Govind Rai, CEO and co-founder of Insomniacs Digital Pvt. Ltd.
