At the Apartment Association of Oklahoma’s recent educational event, Kristi Fickert took the stage to show how AI doesn’t have to feel like a black box or a buzzword. Instead, she encouraged it as a new kind of toolkit, something property professionals can reach for, to clear the clutter, shave hours off routine tasks, and shine a brighter light on their brand’s voice. With decades of experience in multifamily marketing, Kristi broke down how multifamily leaders can turn questions into playbooks and numbers into next steps.
When we talk about AI in multifamily, it’s easy to get caught up in buzzwords. What really matters, though, is how these tools drive real productivity for the people using them every day like leasing teams, property managers, and marketing leaders. That came through clearly in the session Kristi recently led. As she put it:
“I loved the energy in the room. People were curious, engaged, and ready to experiment.”
For many attendees, this was an opportunity to see how something they’d heard about in headlines could directly impact their workflows.
Why AI, and ChatGPT in Particular, Is Unlocking Capacity Now More Than Ever
The multifamily industry is under constant pressure to deliver more with less, and AI is starting to serve as both a pressure valve and a competitive edge. At Kurie, we’ve seen how the right tools can take some of the weight off property teams, reallocating routine tasks off their plate so they can focus on higher-value work. Kristi captured this dynamic well, pointing to three reasons why AI is finding its moment.
Practical Applications: Where ChatGPT Adds Value
One of the clearest themes in Kristi’s session was practicality. AI isn’t about lofty promises of the future; it’s about lightening the load of repetitive work and giving teams more room to do what they do best.
For property teams, this might mean drafting follow-up emails in minutes, creating on-brand social posts without starting from scratch, or quickly pulling together a summary of resident feedback. As Kristi put it,
“Property teams can automate routine tasks…so they can focus more on high-touch interactions.”
The same applies to managers. Instead of getting bogged down in data, they can use AI to build personalized development plans, turn recurring reports into decision-ready insights, and frame stronger cases for leadership approval. As Kristi explained,
“Managers can use AI to create development plans or transform weekly data into insights that help them get more ‘yesses’ from higher-ups.”
Addressing Misconceptions
With any new tool, there are misconceptions. In Kristi’s observations, two stood out:
First, the fear of replacement:
“Some people thought ChatGPT was designed to replace leasing agents. I stressed that it’s a copilot, not a replacement. People still drive the conversation and the relationship.”
Second, the assumption of perfection:
“There was an expectation that ChatGPT would give flawless answers out of the box. We talked through how prompt crafting and reviewing output ensure the tool works within brand voice and compliance requirements.”
These flawed assumptions underscored an important point: adopting AI requires strategy and oversight, not blind reliance.
The Strategic Takeaway
The temptation with AI is to chase every possibility at once. But Kristi framed a more sustainable path:
“Start small, experiment intentionally, and focus on areas where AI can relieve your pain points first. The goal isn’t to ‘AI-ify’ everything at once but to build trust, show results, and scale from there.”
For multifamily leaders, that’s the heart of the opportunity: test AI in areas that create quick wins, then scale deliberately. It’s less about sprinting everywhere at once and more about setting a compass, proving the direction, and mapping the next steps with more intention.
From Numbers to Narratives
One of Kristi’s most practical points was how AI moves numbers beyond the data tables and makes them functional in everyday decisions.
“I love helping property teams quickly turn raw data - like lead sources, tour conversions, or resident survey results - into story-driven visuals or summaries they can present to leadership.”
Instead of wrestling with number grids, imagine walking away with a story that points you to your next decision. ChatGPT acts like a translator, pivoting data from a static report into a toolkit for decisions. For multifamily professionals, that means better strategies, made faster.
When data gets a voice, it’s easier to win buy-in, show value, and push projects forward. It’s less about automation for its own sake and more about putting story to these numbers and translating it to the language people find meaningful.
As AI shapes the future, video is rewriting the property-to-renter playbook. Kurie helps you lead with video-first strategies and streaming TV campaigns designed to break through the sea of sameness and create lasting impact.
Contact our team today to book a meeting and learn more about AI-forward video strategy!