Tools & Platforms
Hybrid ‘buyer agent’ blends AI with the human touch
Newly launched brokerage WithJoy.AI aims to get buyers through most of a transaction with tech, providing a big commission rebate in return.
Key points:
- The brokerage, currently active in Washington state, envisioned a “purely AI real estate agent,” but says their approach offers “the best of both worlds.”
- Many traditional buyer agent tasks are handled by the company’s AI-powered technology, with agents on standby “to hold your hand.”
- Buyers who complete a transaction with the firm can receive a rebate of up to 70% of the buy-side commission.
Artificial intelligence has quickly become the backbone of many real estate technologies, powering CRMs, marketing tools, operational software and more. But can AI eventually help consumers buy and sell homes with no human support?
While some companies are pursuing a fully AI-powered transaction, others — like WithJoy.AI — are taking a “best of both worlds” approach. The recently launched brokerage, which is piloting its offering in Washington state, aims to offload much of a human buyer agent’s work to an AI agent — “Joy” — but also provides real people to help buyers get to the finish line.
AI for the nuts and bolts, humans for hand-holding
A 2024 report from T3 Sixty found that a staggering 80% of an agent’s tasks can be handled by AI, leaving agents to focus on the “fine tuning” — and, says WithJoy Co-founder and CEO Dave Clark, the “scary” stuff.
WithJoy currently specializes in the buy-side of the transaction, leveraging tech where possible to assist both consumers and agents after deciding a fully automated approach wasn’t viable.
“Our initial vision when we started working on this over a year ago was that we’re going to create a purely AI real estate agent,” said Clark.
“We very quickly realized that, regulatorily speaking, you actually can’t do that. So, instead, we got kind of the best of both worlds. You still have the human presence to do the part of the job that tech really won’t be able to, like being someone who’s going to hold your hand and walk you through the scary aspects that people are going to be less likely to just trust a purely digital interface.”
The company helps buyers zero in on a home using natural language search, and when a buyer is ready to move forward, WithJoy can help draft an “AI-backed offer” that is approved by an agent before it goes in front of a client.
A substitute for an agent’s local market expertise?
In WithJoy’s model, there’s a local agent available for buyers who have questions — but that may not always be the case as this type of technology expands.
“My biggest concern is actually for the clients, many of whom will be tempted to forgo contracting with a local, more expensive agent who provides a higher level of service than an AI, or a remote agent-plus-AI team,” said Sebastian Frey, broker associate at Compass Silicon Valley in Los Gatos, California.
“I always consider one of my primary jobs as a buyer’s agent to help a buyer avoid making a horrible mistake, and I can see a lot of buyers not fully understanding what they’re getting into if they rely solely on AI to help them close the deal, or relying on an AI-empowered agent hundreds of miles away who has zero experience with the intricacies of the local market they’re buying in.”
But, Frey acknowledges, experienced buyers and investors who know the ins and outs of real estate may welcome a more hands-off, AI-driven option. “In fact, many will wholeheartedly embrace it,” Frey predicts. And they might also value the cost savings — WithJoy says buyers using their system can receive a rebate of up to 70% of the buy-side commission.
What lies ahead
Many agents are already embracing AI tools in their everyday work, letting the tech handle time-consuming tasks like writing up CMAs or listing descriptions so an agent can simply review them rather than create them from scratch.
Tech-forward brokerages like Real, Compass and Keller Williams have created proprietary AI tools for their agents, as have third-party proptech companies and startups, and MLSs are jumping on the AI bandwagon as well.
It’s clear that the technology is not only here to stay, but rapidly advancing — and in an AI future, real estate professionals who don’t embrace it will likely get left behind.
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July 11, 2025
SEOUL – A wave of artificial intelligence certifications has flooded the market in South Korea over the past two years.
But according to government data, most of these tests exist only on paper, and have never been used by a single person.
As of Wednesday, there were 505 privately issued AI-related certifications registered with the Korea Research Institute for Professional Education and Training, a state-funded body under the Prime Minister’s Office.
This is nearly five times the number recorded in 2022, before tools like ChatGPT captured global attention. But more than 90 percent of those certifications had zero test-takers as of late last year, the institute’s own data shows.
Many of the credentials are loosely tied to artificial intelligence in name only. Among recent additions are titles like “AI Brain Fitness Coach,” “AI Art Storybook Author,” and “AI Trainer,” which often have no connection to real AI technology.
KT’s AICE is South Korea’s only nationally accredited AI certification, offering five levels of exams that assess real-world AI understanding and skills, from block coding for elementary students to Python-based modeling for professionals. PHOTO: KT/THE KOREA HERALD
Only one of the 505 AI-related certifications — KT’s AICE exam — has received official recognition from the South Korean government. The rest have been registered by individuals, companies, or private organizations, with no independent oversight or quality control.
In 2024, just 36 of these certifications held any kind of exam. Only two had more than 1,000 people apply. Fourteen had a perfect 100 percent pass rate. And 20 were removed from the registry that same year.
For test organizers, the appeal is often financial. One popular certification that attracted around 500 candidates last year charged up to 150,000 won ($110) per person, including test fees and course materials. The content reportedly consisted of basic instructions on how to use existing tools like ChatGPT or Stable Diffusion. Some issuers even promote these credentials as qualifications to teach AI to students or the general public.
The people signing up tend to be those anxious about keeping up in an AI-driven world. A survey released this week by education firm Eduwill found that among 391 South Koreans in their 20s to 50s, 39.1 percent said they planned to earn an AI certificate to prepare for the digital future. Others (27.6 percent) said they were taking online AI courses or learning how to use automation tools like Notion AI.
Industry insiders warn that most of these certificates hold little value in the job market. A local AI industry official told The Korea Herald that these credentials are often “window dressing” for resumes.
“Most private AI certifications aren’t taken seriously by hiring managers,” he said. “Even for non-technical jobs like communications or marketing, what matters more is whether someone actually understands the AI space. That can’t be faked with a certificate.”
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Microsoft is launching a $4 billion initiative to train 20 million people in artificial intelligence skills through a new global program called Elevate. The effort, announced by company President Brad Smith, is part of Microsoft’s commitment to “put people first” as AI becomes more integrated into work and education.
The tech titan described the program as a centralized platform for its technology support, donations, and training across schools, colleges, and nonprofits. Through the Elevate Academy, it plans to deliver AI literacy at scale, including offerings like “Hour of AI” and partnerships with educators and labor unions.
A unified platform for Microsoft’s AI training
Microsoft Elevate consolidates the company’s nonprofit and education initiatives into a single operational framework, replacing both its Philanthropies division and Tech for Social Impact team. It combines funding, cloud infrastructure, and AI tools to expand access to training and technology.
The $4 billion will be allocated over five years through a mix of grants, software, and computing resources for K–12 schools, community colleges, and nonprofit organizations worldwide.
Massive training effort for in-demand AI credentials
As part of its credentialing plan, Microsoft is introducing the Elevate Academy, a program to reach millions of learners in just two years. It will offer structured learning across a spectrum of competencies, from digital basics to advanced technical instruction.
Course content will run through LinkedIn Learning and GitHub, two platforms already used within professional and developer communities.
The academy serves as a centerpiece delivery channel, combining investment and infrastructure with partnerships and events to help learners earn industry-recognized certifications.
National and local partners help execute large-scale rollout
Microsoft is working with education nonprofits, labor groups, and government bodies to scale rollout..
“Hour of AI,” developed with Code.org, introduces younger students to foundational concepts through short-form instruction. A summer skilling series extends access outside the school year.
Labor unions are also involved in workforce development, including the National Academy for AI Instruction and courses across the building trades. In Germany, Microsoft is partnering with North Rhine-Westphalia for better regional programs.
Aligning training with public and institutional standards
To support policy alignment, Microsoft is working with public agencies to integrate AI skills into national education systems. It has also partnered with the United Nations, the Vatican, and academic institutions to promote responsible use and ethical standards in AI learning.
These collaborations build on Microsoft’s long-standing involvement in digital literacy and public education initiatives, now carried forward under Elevate’s global scope.
Technology with purpose, training with intent
Microsoft maintains that technology should augment human potential rather than replace it. Elevate reflects that view by focusing on skills amplifying judgment, creativity, and contribution.
Work, the company argues, is deeply tied to identity and dignity, a principle it says must guide how artificial intelligence is developed and deployed. Elevate carries that outlook forward, linking digital learning to values about the role of work in people’s lives.
Another way Microsoft is supporting AI training is by giving $12.5 million in funding to the National Academy for AI Instruction, which the American Federation of Teachers is launching this fall.
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