How Embracing AI Means Future-Proofing Business

Amid what seems the peak of technological advancement in society, many people wonder: What could possibly be next? Zack Kass wonders that too – and that’s why he’s dedicated his life’s work to better understanding how present trends drive future innovation and invention.

“One of the hardest things as humans to do now is to actually recognize that the world as we know it will become increasingly unrecognizable faster and faster,” shared Kass, who formerly headed up go-to-market strategy for OpenAI, an industry-leading artificial intelligence research company.

While the concept of AI is still fresh to many, it’s something Kass has been exploring for over 16 years. And on Tuesday of the 2025 RE/MAX R4 convention, he took to the stage during the event’s Super Session to demystify the evolving entity.

“We are on this incredible journey to basically build machines that are much smarter than us,” he said.

Natural language operating systems are a key player in this quest for superiorly intelligent tools. Kass recalls the exact day OpenAI launched the famed ChatGPT in 2022, which took the world by storm with its ability to answer complex question and complete tasks in record time while continually learning itself. ChatGPT quickly enhanced the digital searcher’s findings – to the point where information at the click of a button is seemingly more limitless than ever before.

“We’re moving toward a world where machines don’t try to trick us – one where they are actually trying to work on our behalf,” Kass explained. “We’re moving toward a world of unmetered intelligence.”

He continued, “It’s pretty obvious now that the future is not defined by what a machine can do – machines can do a ton of things. It’s actually defined by what we want the machine to do.”

“The hardest thing that our generation will deal with is the whiplash [from] normalizing change,” Kass said. “As a result, one of the things that I challenge people to do most is embrace adaptability as a strategy.”

Michael Thorne, an AI practitioner and team leader with RE/MAX Lifestyles in Langley, British Columbia, agrees – and is turning this sentiment into action. Thorne also joined the R4 Super Session to share candid insights about the value of AI for productivity, and how it’s an important part of preparing business for the future.

“Study after study has shown the impact that AI has on efficiency and quality of output. One study found that professionals like you and I, who used AI, could reduce time on tasks by up to 80%. That means what takes you five hours to do, I can do in one,” Thorne said.

Part of this adaptability means leveraging resources that incorporate the latest tech and can ultimately save time. RE/MAX affiliates, for example, have multiple AI-powered tech tools available to them, as well as others coming down the pipe. During the R4 Opening General Session, numerous tech innovations and enhancements were debuted to help affiliates win more in business as the world continues to change.

AI capabilities within the MAX/Tech^SM powered by BoldTrail productivity suite are expanding. Plus, MAX/Refer – the all-new RE/MAX referral platform –will harness the power of AI to streamline a referral between affiliates from start to finish.

Other new AI components will help drive traffic and leads through remax.com and eventually remax.ca. One is “Max,” a new digital assistant who interacts with visitors.

But even as smart tech becomes a staple in strategy, Kass – a futurist himself – explains how these digital factors work best when implemented by a professional with drive and heart. After all, tech isn’t here to replace real estate agents – it’s here to enhance their businesses and allow them to focus on closing deals and changing lives.

“The AI revolution makes us more human, not less. in a world where you can master anything, master adaptability. Master courage. Master curiosity. Master wisdom. Master empathy. Master humor,” Kass shares. “These are the things that AI doesn’t take from us.”

Thorne thinks so, too.

“The winners, in my opinion, are the agents who integrate this technology seamlessly into their systems, their business planning and their management, enhancing efficiency while staying focused on their clients – freeing up more time to sit across the table from a nervous first-time homebuyer,” he said. “Agents who use AI to push them closer to their clients – who use this technology to be more human – will win.”

Get RE/MAX News delivered to your inbox! Sign up for News Alerts in the footer below.