Commercial real estate drives U.S. economic growth as AI transforms underwriting

Commercial real estate is undergoing significant structural changes driven by technological integration and substantial economic contributions. A study by the Building Owners and Managers Association International (BOMA) indicates that the operation and maintenance of office, retail, and industrial properties across 79 U.S. markets generates $609.9 billion in annual economic output and supports 3.9 million jobs.

BOMA’s research shows that building operations contribute $344.4 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product. For every $1 spent on building operations, $2.22 in total economic output is generated through direct, indirect, and induced activity, benefiting a wide network of contractors, suppliers, and service providers.

Simultaneously, artificial intelligence is transforming the industry’s underwriting and risk assessment processes. AI-driven platforms are moving the sector from intuition-based evaluation to data-driven intelligence by synthesizing massive datasets, including satellite imagery, foot traffic analytics, and macroeconomic indicators. These machine learning models allow for more precise financial modeling and the ability to identify market patterns or vacancy risks that may be overlooked by human analysts.