Landlords are using AI to make rundown apartments look new

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Many landlords are now using artificial intelligence to make apartments look more appealing in photos and videos, but renters are often surprised when they see the actual condition in person.

A recent report by Futurism noted a growing trend in rental listings: photos are being digitally altered to remove flaws, improve lighting, and even add furniture that isn’t actually there.

Experts discovered that online images of properties were often misleading. Walls that appeared newly painted in photos were actually damaged when viewed in person, and in some instances, AI tools were used to alter room sizes, making them seem bigger than they actually were.

PetaPixel, a photography website, reported that real estate agents are using AI to drastically edit property photos online. This includes removing flaws and even changing the layout of rooms to make them appear different than they actually are.

Landlords use AI to clean up apartments

This trend has become popular on platforms like Zillow and Facebook Marketplace as AI-powered tools are now widely used.

Australian lawmakers are starting to address concerns about misleading real estate photos. They’re considering new rules that would require listings to state if photos have been digitally altered, following complaints from renters who were disappointed when properties didn’t match the advertised images.

Like this had me screaming. This the pic in the listing v.s what shows up on google maps. 😂

— I appreciate you. (@DeeLaSheeArt) October 6, 2025

Although it’s not currently illegal to alter real estate photos with AI in the US, presenting those changes in a way that’s deceptive could violate existing advertising laws. Consumer groups are urging platforms to require clear labeling of AI-edited photos to prevent this issue from becoming more widespread.

Currently, major rental platforms in the US and UK don’t have a unified approach to handling AI-generated content. While Zillow prohibits misleading information, it doesn’t yet have rules specifically addressing AI’s use.

This means renters now have to do a lot more investigating – looking at old pictures, requesting video walkthroughs, and carefully examining details that might have been altered in photos – to make sure a place is as good as it seems.

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2025-11-05 14:51