Artificial intelligence (AI) has quickly made its way into nearly every creative field, and real estate photography is no exception. From photo enhancement tools to AI-driven video editing, the technology promises faster turnaround times and more visually appealing results. But like any tool, AI has both advantages and drawbacks—some of which carry serious legal and ethical implications.

In real estate, where accuracy and trust are everything, agents and photographers must carefully weigh the benefits against the risks. Below, we’ll explore how AI is reshaping real estate media, the good it can bring, and the pitfalls professionals need to avoid.

Faster Editing and Turnaround
The Good: One of the biggest advantages of AI is speed. Automated editing software can brighten dark rooms, correct color balance, remove blemishes, and even replace a gray sky with a blue one in seconds. This allows photographers to deliver polished images faster than ever, which is a huge win for busy agents trying to get a listing live.

The Bad: With every new technology there are trade offs. One trade off is image quality and accuracy with AI HDR editing. The AI makes assumptions based on it’s “training” and that training does not prioritize color accuracy. This matters when the home owner requests a reedit or reshoot.

Cost-Effective Enhancements
The Good: AI can handle tasks that once required hours of manual editing. For example, object removal tools can eliminate a stray trash can or yard sign from a photo. Sky replacements, virtual twilight effects, and perspective corrections can all be applied with minimal effort. This efficiency often translates into lower costs for clients, since less time is spent on post-production.

The Bad: Even the most current AI models change a homes’ architecture and design when AI is employed for complex edits. However, a skilled photo editor knows these short-falls and can supplement where needed. Cost still is a factor because someone may charge less for the “same” service, but final image quality will be impacted at some point. Luckily Adam Price Photography has over a decade of experience with image editing and that’s before AI became more widespread.

Video Editing
The Good: For video tours, AI can stabilize footage, fix grain, remove background noise, and even edit a song to custom fit a video length. With tours featuring an agent speaking on camera between b-roll shots, there are Ai tools that can automatically blend the music and the agent speaking. This saves a lot of time in post!

The Bad: You’ve likely seen “image to video” services on social media. Although incredible, they are problematic. Generating a video from a still photo will almost always introduce “hallucinations” or change actual aspects of the property. It might even change the view out of the windows.

Virtual Staging and Furniture Removal
The Good: AI has made virtual staging more accessible, allowing empty rooms to be filled with tasteful furniture and décor digitally. It can also remove existing furniture to help potential buyers imagine the space differently. When used transparently and ethically, this tool can help listings stand out and give buyers a sense of possibility.

The Bad: It’s true that AI has dramatically reduced the time spend on complex item removal. Whole rooms can be cleared in just seconds. However, it will create or remove key features of the property. It doesn’t know that there are electrical outlets behind that couch, or a window behind that armoire. This is massively problematic.

With AI virtual staging, upon quick glance, it can look attractive. However, with a discerning eye one can easily spot the issues. AI virtual staging contains really awful unrealistic results that are very low resolution. The other issue is repeatability. Should one need various angles of one room, the AI cannot recreate the same furniture from another angle.

While AI has clear benefits, its rapid adoption has also introduced risks that can compromise both legality and trust.

Risk of Misrepresentation
In the real world example image above, you can see where a photographer had a daytime image converted to a dusk image. The AI added a carriage light to the right of the garage door where one doesn’t exist. It also failed to illuminate the actual carriage light. It also scrambled the address. This resulted in a reshoot where I went back out there at dusk to get a true twilight, no AI involved.

The greatest danger of AI in real estate media is its ability to alter a property in ways that go beyond enhancement. Tools that “redesign” kitchens, change flooring materials, or alter the exterior architecture of a home are becoming more common. While these edits might make photos look attractive, they also misrepresent the property. This can mislead buyers and potentially expose both agents and photographers to legal liability.

For example, AI could unintentionally:

Change the design of windows or doors.
Alter rooflines or add architectural features that don’t exist.
Replace materials with higher-end finishes.

These changes are not just misleading—they can be illegal, as they represent a home in a way that doesn’t reflect its true condition.

Legal and Ethical Issues
Real estate marketing is bound by strict advertising laws. Just as it’s illegal to claim a property has more square footage than it does, it’s equally problematic to digitally modify a photo to show a design feature that isn’t there, even if unintentional. If a buyer feels they’ve been deceived, lawsuits and regulatory fines could follow.

Photographers and agents must remember: AI is a tool for enhancing reality, not creating fiction. Transparency is key. If virtual staging or AI adjustments are used, they should always be disclosed.

Quality Control Concerns
While AI can handle many editing tasks, it’s far from the perfect solution in this field. As a service provider, Adam Price Photography prides itself in providing consistent and high-quality media. We don’t take short-cuts and we don’t take our clients for granted. We want to provide high-quality media that you will be proud to showcase.

Over-Reliance on Automation
Another concern is that professionals may lean too heavily on AI. While AI can save time, overuse can lead to generic, cookie-cutter imagery. Real estate photography is about capturing the unique character of a home, something that requires human judgment, creativity, and storytelling.

The other size of this coin is that should an agent have an issue with an edit, does their photographer have the skills necessary to manually fix it? Simply regenerating a render won’t necessarily solve the problem even when the AI is instructed to do or not do something. Many get into the Real Estate Media field with the mind-set that they can just shoot the property and outsource everything. Although this is a viable business model, those photographers aren’t able to provide the custom edits with a quick turn-around time.

Buyer Distrust
The real estate industry already battles skepticism from buyers wary of marketing tactics. If AI-generated or AI-altered photos become associated with deception, buyer trust may erode further. An image that looks “too good to be true” could make prospective buyers doubt the authenticity of an entire listing.

Best Practices for Using AI Responsibly in Real Estate

AI is here to stay, so the question is not whether to use it, but how to use it responsibly. Here are a few best practices for agents and photographers:

Stick to Enhancements, Not Alterations: Use AI to improve lighting, color, and minor blemishes, but never to change architecture or finishes.
Be Transparent: If virtual staging or major digital alterations are used, disclose them in the listing. This prevents misunderstandings and builds trust.
Keep Human Oversight: Always review AI edits carefully. Don’t assume the software got it right. Most of the time, it doesn’t.
Prioritize Accuracy Over Aesthetics: A slightly less polished but accurate image is far better than a beautiful but misleading one.
Stay Informed on Regulations: Real estate laws vary by region. Stay up to date on local advertising regulations and MLS guidelines regarding photo editing.

AI is a powerful tool that can streamline real estate photography, enhance marketing materials, and give agents a competitive edge. From speeding up photo editing to supporting drone videography, the potential is enormous.

With that potential comes responsibility. When AI tools cross the line from enhancing to altering, they can create legal, ethical, and reputational problems. In real estate, accuracy is non-negotiable. Buyers need to know what they’re getting, and professionals need to market properties honestly. Much like in the example image above, clear ramifications are and will continue to happen for the sake of “convenience.”

Ultimately, the best approach is to use AI as a helper, not a replacement. Let AI handle the repetitive tasks, but keep the creative vision, quality control, and integrity in human hands. By doing so, real estate professionals can enjoy the benefits of new technology without falling into its pitfalls.