How GenAI is Changing Retail Property Strategy
March 23, 2026
Retail property managers and owners are challenged with balancing tenant expectations, operational efficiency and long-term investment strategies. According to Aliza Carpio, senior director of Technical Product Management at JLL Technologies, these are just a few of the areas in which generative AI (genAI) is proving its worth.
“A lot of folks think GenAI stops at the chatbot,” Carpio explains. “But it can actually do much more strategic work, like financial modeling, lease optimization and portfolio comparisons that support real estate decision-making.”
As more real estate teams explore the capabilities of genAI, they’re uncovering new opportunities to drive value, reduce friction, and make more informed and faster decisions across their retail portfolios.
Turning Data into Action
From optimizing employee schedules to analyzing foot traffic patterns, the use cases for genAI in retail are constantly growing. Many of the early wins can be found in automating the more routine, time-consuming tasks, Carpio says.
However, retail teams can also use it to answer questions such as how sales are performing per square foot across a portfolio. GenAI not only can answer those questions but can also provide context and suggestions for action. “It starts by helping you compare data across locations,” says Carpio. “But then it builds from that, offering recommendations and even proposing actions you can take, so you can focus on more value-added work.”
She adds that genAI’s potential extends beyond just the internal data: Layering in external retail industry data can give insight into how your properties stack up.
Sharpening Portfolio Planning
In the future, genAI may support financial modeling and ROI projections based on both internal and external performance indicators.
“One key question is, who are your top-performing retail tenants—and how can you replicate that success across your portfolio?” says Carpio. “GenAI can provide insights into tenant mix optimization and suggest other data sources worth considering.”
By identifying trends and creating draft budgets based on prior performance, genAI is also moving into predictive territory. “It can take last year’s and this year’s budgets, layer in economic or socioeconomic trends, and generate a forecast for the next year based on foot traffic trends,” Carpio explains.
Improving the Tenant and Customer Experience
GenAI isn’t just for improving back-office operations, Carpio notes. It’s also improving tenant and customer experiences on-site, making property managers’ lives easier. For example, AI could help automate maintenance requests using IoT sensors and foot traffic data, which would improve safety and satisfaction. It can also suggest ways to optimize energy use in high-traffic areas, such as a food court in a mall, or even recommend lease terms that better match tenant behavior.
On the consumer side, virtual property tours are becoming more personalized and predictive. “Before I get to a mall, I want to know where to park, how to get to specific stores, and where I’m meeting a friend for lunch,” Carpio says. “GenAI could actually create virtual tours for you, personalize those, and customize them for what you’re trying to do.”
Moving Toward Predictive, Immersive Retail Spaces
Carpio sees the use of genAI in retail property strategy moving toward creating immersive and autonomous experiences. Augmented reality, predictive analytics, and sustainability optimization are all areas of rapid development.
“We’re already starting to see autonomous retail environments,” Carpio notes. “Imagine a space where you don’t wait in line, any surface can be a screen, and the system can anticipate your needs.” Those are the types of intelligent, responsive environments that genAI will help retail build in the future.
Original article published by: GlobeSt.