AI & cybersecurity in PropTech: Addressing privacy and technology risk
The PropTech landscape is undergoing a seismic shift. Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a future aspiration; it’s a current-day differentiator, powering everything from automated leasing and predictive maintenance to financial forecasting and intelligent tenant experiences.
But as real estate organisations embrace AI to drive operational excellence and unlock new revenue streams, a new frontier of risk is emerging: the intersection of AI, cybersecurity and privacy.
How can real estate firms confidently leverage AI-powered solutions while mitigating risk?
AI: A game-changer for PropTech and a new attack surface
AI enables real estate firms to make smarter, faster decisions. But the complexity of AI systems introduces new risks that traditional cybersecurity strategies weren’t built to handle.
Here are a few examples of how AI technology can be used for malicious purposes:
- AI-enabled phishing: Generative models mimic brokers, leasing agents or tenants.
- Model manipulation and data poisoning: These tactics can threaten smart building operations and rent forecasting tools by intentionally modifying the behaviour of AI models and corrupting the training datasets to influence outputs.
- Black box AI decisions: AI systems that make decisions based on their own opaque logic may violate privacy laws if left unchecked.
In a data-rich industry like real estate where sensitive financial, occupancy and identity data are core inputs, the implications are significant.
MRI Software’s approach: Intelligent, secure and accountable
At MRI Software we believe the future of real estate technology must be both intelligent and secure. As we embed AI across the MRI Agora™ platform we’re simultaneously advancing our commitment to responsible innovation, data protection and client trust.
From automation in property management to predictive analytics in asset performance, we’re focused on three guiding principles:
1. Privacy by design
AI models are trained using data governance best practices, anonymisation techniques and privacy-aware architectures. Whether enabling digital lease approvals or smart maintenance scheduling, we design every solution to respect client and tenant data from day one.
2. Trust through transparency
We prioritise explainability. If AI is making a recommendation whether it’s a risk score or a tenant screening alert, our clients need to understand why. Our approach to AI emphasises interpretability and auditability at every stage of deployment.
3. Securing the full AI lifecycle
Cybersecurity isn’t a layer that’s bolted on; it’s a capability embedded across every part of the AI/ML pipeline, from training to live operations. Our cloud-based platform architecture incorporates best-in-class access control, data integrity monitoring and model behaviour observability.
Raising the bar for PropTech security
With real estate organisations increasingly reliant on third-party platforms and AI-driven insights, it’s time to raise expectations. At MRI Software we’re taking a leadership position in:
- Aligning with global AI regulations (e.g., EU AI Act, NIST AI RMF, ISO/IEC 42001)
- Building internal AI governance boards
- Enforcing ethical use standards for vendors integrating AI into the MRI ecosystem
For AI-powered PropTech to succeed, it must be responsible, secure and aligned with the real-world needs of owners, operators, investors and residents.
In an industry that balances buildings, people and data, the AI advantage must be built on a foundation of trust. MRI is committed to delivering AI-powered innovation that’s as secure as it is smart, empowering real estate leaders to make bold moves without compromising privacy or resilience.
The future of PropTech is intelligent. Together, let’s make it secure by design.
Learn more about how AI and the MRI Agora Platform are redefining real estate technology.
