As a team that lives and breathes property, we’ve been watching closely. The industry whispers are turning up the volume and the property portal race is heating up, fuelled by opportunities from Artificial Intelligence.
Recent announcements from Rightmove now include an AI push that isn’t just a flashy tech update, but a strategic necessity. According to to industry reporters, The Negotiator, Rightmove “is keen to underline how it’s been working bringing AI on board, saying it has 27 projects under way that use AI including four that are now live.”
For Rightmove to maintain its pole position, it cannot simply participate in this shift; it must lead it. With competitors like Zoopla and OnTheMarket gearing up their own AI capabilities, standing still is not an option. This isn’t just about adding fancy features.It’s about future-proofing property portals to perfect the home mover experience.
The Strategic Play of ‘AI Keywords’
The old way of searching—ticking boxes for bedroom numbers and garden size—is becoming archaic. It’s functional, but it lacks soul. Buyers don’t fall in love with a utility room; they fall in love with the feeling of a home, the morning light in a kitchen or the character of an original fireplace.
This is where AI Keywords, rolling out from November, is aimed at retaining home mover interest. By allowing buyers to search for emotional and practical nuances, Rightmove is aiming to improve its search function to actively understand the heart of home-hunting. How well this works could determine their future as a major property portal. If Zoopla or OnTheMarket crack this semantic search first, they could lure away buyers that feel Rightmove’s filters are no longer sophisticated enough.
For Rightmove, leading with this tech is likely to prove essential to retaining its reputation as the most comprehensive and intuitive portal.
Closing the Imagination Gap with ‘Style with AI’
We’d agree that sometimes a seller’s décor is an immediate turn-off for buyers. By taking the lead, Rightmove is launching a new Style with AI feature, available to a small group from November 2025 with the idea that it can help you see your future home. Yet, whilst it’s possible that it could help to create viewings for “doer-upper” properties, at Mackenzie Smith, we know that to make the best impact on the market, a property needs to be photo-ready from the start. Whilst some buyers may enjoy playing with this AI tool, often it’s too late by the time a photo has put a buyer off. They will have already moved on to the next option.
Having said that, it’s possible portal visualisation tools could create another layer of fun to the buyer experience. But from the perspective of a homeowner wishing to sell their property, it could just create another distraction. When the buyer could be arranging a viewing and seeing a property in real life, instead they would be imagining what the property might look like. It raises the question as to whether this tool really aligns with key customer goals. With the visualisation product, though, Rightmove could position themselves as the fun modern portal to visit.
More Than Features: A Necessary Evolution
Rightmove’s existing use of AI to connect movers with agents shows they’re already on the path. But in a competitive landscape, early experiments must quickly evolve into market-defining tools. With other well-established property platforms investing heavily in their own ‘proptech’, the risk of being overtaken is real. This AI innovation isn’t a side project; it’s a main event, and clearly a vital part of Rightmove’s strategy to stay relevant, essential and ultimately, number one.
As estate agents, we’re keenly aware of the necessity to integrate AI into our marketing strategies. We employ a wide variety of technology, including AI and data specialist platforms, alongside portals: Rightmove, Zoopla and OnTheMarket, to sell property. They support us in providing the most efficient service to our vendors, buyers, landlords and tenants.
We’ll be watching closely to see how well Rightmove competes. The property portals are all sharpening their tools and the result could be a smarter, more intuitive journey for us all.
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