If you know the 80s TV show “Hill Street Blues,” you remember the phrase. It was the final line at the end of every precinct debrief, delivered as a sobering reminder: the streets were unpredictable, and danger was real. It’s the same warning we share with you now, especially when using AI in real estate.

Because agents? We’ve got a problem. Two, actually.

Reckless AI use is more common than you think

Many real estate agents are far too careless with private data and confidential information when using AI tools. In the rush to automate and accelerate everything, many have forgotten that AI isn't magic; it’s software. And like all software, it has rules, risks, and requirements before you get your rewards.

Yet I keep hearing stories of agents uploading titles, appraisals, sales contracts, mortgage documents, and more into free AI chatbots with zero redactions, no anonymization, and zero concern for compliance or client protection. Why? Because someone told them it was okay.

Here’s what they’re missing: you can’t mess this up even once. Not one slip. Not one upload. Not one shortcut. If your chatbot isn’t locked down, encrypted, and data-isolated, you’re exposing client data to risks that could come back to bite you hard.

Misinformation is everywhere

Unfortunately, agents are often taught the wrong things by people who are not AI experts.

I’ve attended webinars. I’ve watched panel presentations. I’ve read the blog posts and stories on our most reputable trade news sites. And let me tell you: the level of misinformation about AI is alarming.

They are not telling you about the risks of using free chatbots. They are not explaining how to avoid getting in trouble.

There’s no one holding these voices accountable, and that’s how misinformation spreads like wildfire.

AI is powerful and dangerous

Let me be clear: I’m not anti-AI. I’m bullish on AI. I teach it. I study it. I use it every day. But I also know its limits and its risks.

There’s a good, a bad, and an ugly side to AI. The good side makes your daily workflow faster, your marketing sharper, and your follow-up stronger. The bad side is that these tools are oversold and underexplained. The ugly side? That’s when client trust is shattered because an agent skipped a vital step.

What should you do?

Ditch the free tools. Only use secure platforms like ChatGPT Teams, your brokerage’s private enterprise chatbot, or vetted AI tools that never train on your data.

Strip all personal information from any document you share with a chatbot. That means names, addresses, social security or loan numbers – anything that could tie back to a real client.  

Finally, treat AI like a chainsaw, not a handsaw: it’s faster and more capable, but only when used with care. Use it to help you explain complex ideas, generate responses to challenging clients, or write great content. It’s your license, your name, your reputation on the line.

The need for AI education and ongoing accountability

We need real education. Not hyped-up keynotes. Not influencer clickbait. Not one-size-fits-all hacks. We need best practices tailored to our industry and delivered by those who live and breathe real estate and AI.

And we need gatekeepers: people willing to call out the recklessness. People who understand that protecting clients isn't optional and that genuine trust takes years to earn and seconds to destroy.

We must stop treating AI as a toy but as the serious tool it is.