Zillow Puts Its AI Promises to the Test With New Conversational Tool

Zillow has launched AI mode, a conversational experience that it says will eventually become "foundational" to how people move through the real estate journey on its platform. The feature, announced today and currently in beta with a limited group of users, connects live listings data with real-world actions such as scheduling tours and connecting with an agent.

Built directly into Zillow's platform, AI mode adapts to each user's activity over time, remembering preferences across sessions and drawing on Zillow's proprietary data and custom AI models. According to a press release, early testing shows users are primarily asking about affordability, neighbourhood insights and comparing homes by specific features.

CEO Jeremy Wacksman framed the launch as a step change:

"We're connecting the entire housing journey with AI in a way that hasn't been possible before. Because Zillow operates across search, touring, financing, connections to professionals, transacting and closing, we can turn insight and data into real-world action, helping people move from discovery to keys in hand."

The move follows a flurry of AI-first product activity across the global portal sector. CoStar launched its Homes AI search tool on Homes.com just weeks before Zillow published a shareholder letter in early 2026 asserting its AI credentials, including natural language search dating back to 2023 and a ChatGPT plugin launched in October 2025. Rivals Redfin and Zumper have also built ChatGPT integrations, while ImmoScout24 and REA Group have pursued similar conversational search paths in their respective markets.

Zillow plans to expand AI mode throughout 2026. With 70% of US buyers and sellers already on its apps and sites, the portal has the audience to make that rollout count.

The launch comes just one day after Zillow hosted a dedicated AI Summit for investors in New York, where co-founders Rich Barton and Lloyd Frink joined CEO Jeremy Wacksman and CFO Jeremy Hofmann to make the case for the portal's AI credentials.