If you still think AI is a gimmick, you’re about to get lapped.

This September, RISMedia’s 37th Annual conference will spotlight a topic real estate brokerages can’t afford to ignore any longer: turning AI into real ROI.

It’s not hype. It’s reality. And WAV Group’s own Kevin Hawkins, a leading real estate AI voice, will be at the helm to lead that conversation.

Kevin Hawkins is the “REAL AI Guy.”

In addition to being a partner at WAV Group and head of our Communications Division, Kevin has written more about AI and real estate than anyone else in the industry – over 250 stories and counting. He’s not just tracking trends; he’s helping to shape real estate’s AI conversation.

As the editor and co-creator (with his son Korey Hawkins) of REAL AI, the industry’s first and only weekly newsletter dedicated to artificial intelligence in real estate, Kevin has become a go-to voice for plainspoken, practical AI education for real estate pros. 

Since launching in August 2023, REAL AI has published over 200 original articles, demystifying complex tech by translating it into agent-friendly concepts and useable strategies.

The September AI panel

Kevin is a moderator, panelist, and speaker at major real estate conferences about AI – including the Florida Realtors, CMLS’s Bring it to the Table, and the National Association of Real Estate Editors, where he most recently shared the stage with AI gurus from Zillow and Restb.ai. 

He also consults with brokerage leaders to help them learn AI and how to use it to save time every day. Kevin also built the annual AI survey for Delta Media – the industry’s benchmark for what’s happening in AI in residential real estate and teaches WAV Group’s AI classes for real estate professionals – including a new online course on July 15 that’s beginning to fill up.

So, what’s Kevin doing in September in DC?

He’s moderating an AI panel at the RISMedia CEO & Leadership Exchange with some of the industry’s top real estate brokerage executives.

Knowing Kevin, this session won’t be about theory but what to practice.

The panel, titled “How Top Brokers Are Turning AI Into Real ROI,” brings together some of the most experienced leaders putting AI to work inside brokerages:

  • Kevin Greene, SVP & GM, Real Estate Solutions at Cotality
  • Rajeev Sajja, SVP of Digital Marketing & Innovation, BHHS Fox & Roach, REALTORS® / The Trident Group
  • Mike Hickman, CEO, Seven Gables Real Estate
  • Matt O’Connor, COO, Terrie O’Connor REALTORS®
  • Moderated by Kevin Hawkins, Partner at WAV Group

These are operators. They’re deploying AI today. This session will explore how brokerages use AI to streamline workflows, support agents, enhance recruiting, and create differentiated client experiences.

If you’re a brokerage executive still on the sidelines, this panel will help you write your playbook. If your AI strategy hasn’t evolved since ChatGPT headlines first hit the news, you’re in the back of the pack.

Stop dabbling and start doing.

AI is reshaping how consumers search, how agents operate, and how brokerages scale. Kevin brings to this panel exactly what most brokerages need: a practical decoder for real-world implementation. No theory. No hype. Just clarity, use cases, and real takeaways.

As one top brokerage leader said about Kevin: “His stuff is so damn good.”

Get there first and let your competition catch up

There’s a window right now, before AI adoption fully hits critical mass, for brokerages to gain an operational edge. But you won’t get that edge from another vendor pitch or hallway rumor.

You’ll get it from leaders who’ve already crossed the AI threshold.

If you want the truth about what’s working, where AI saves time and makes money, and what brokerages are doing to prepare for 2026 and beyond, show up.

WAV Group will be there. And after this session, you’ll be glad you were too.

Register now for the RISMedia CEO & Leadership Exchange, September 3–5, 2025.

This session alone is worth the trip.