Zoopla has struck a major new agreement with OpenAI as it steps up efforts to embed artificial intelligence across the home-moving journey.
The deal gives Zoopla access to advanced AI models, tools and technical expertise, with the aim of speeding up product development and rolling out more sophisticated features across its platform. The focus is not just on improving property search, but on reshaping the wider process of buying and moving home – from early engagement through to completion.
For consumers, that points to more personalised insights, smarter recommendations and tools designed to simplify decision-making. Longer term, Zoopla is targeting a more streamlined transaction process, with AI handling parts of the journey in the background to reduce delays and fall-throughs.
For agents, the strategy centres on earlier engagement with potential movers, generating stronger leads and improving conversion rates – ultimately aiming to increase both instructions and completed sales.
Zoopla says it has been building its AI capability for more than 18 months, rolling out features such as natural language search within its app and testing a range of AI-driven user experiences. Early indicators point to strong commercial upside, with the portal reporting an 80% uplift in listing views and a 150% increase in leads among users engaging with AI-powered tools—suggesting more accurate matching between buyers and properties.
Its integration with ChatGPT also opens up an additional discovery channel, allowing listings to surface beyond traditional search environments and giving agents access to a broader, earlier-stage audience.
While AI-led platforms still account for a relatively small share of overall property search traffic, Zoopla’s strategy is to position itself ahead of that curve—capturing emerging demand while continuing to invest in its core platform, where user engagement and monetisation remain strongest.
The longer-term play centres on Zoopla’s existing base of around six million homeowners who already use the platform to track property values and consider future moves. By applying AI to this audience, the portal is aiming to identify intent earlier, deliver tailored insights, and connect prospective movers with agents and developers before they formally enter the market.
Paul Whitehead, CEO of Zoopla, said: “Innovation has always been at the core of Zoopla, and we’ve been investing in AI for some time to improve outcomes for consumers and customers. This agreement allows us to accelerate that progress, bringing advanced capabilities into Zoopla and helping us innovate faster.
“While much of the market is focused on AI-powered search, we believe that’s only part of the opportunity. The real impact comes from using AI to better understand consumer intent, connect the right buyers and sellers, and unlock more successful home sales for consumers and our customers. That is where we are focused and where we believe AI will have the greatest beneficial impact on the UK property market.”
Zoopla ‘betting big’ on AI when public opinion on AI is at record lows, and the bubble looking like its close to popping, is the most on brand Zoopla thing they could do!
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
I’d wager that public perception is very much in keeping with the adoption curve seen whenever new technologies emerge. Hype and over-excitement, followed by cynicism and caution- followed by a strong growing curve of adoption. Thinking AI is the answer to everything is madness, but ignoring it is like a cotton farmer ignoring the mills. Change is coming and you can get onboard or get left behind. However, HOW AI is leveraged is becoming increasingly important. ‘cosmetic’ AI will quickly become boring- transformative AI wont. The only thing I find confusing here is why it took them so long
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
I can only hope the worrying trend of the portals taking a position with AI will not frustrate the hope that many agents have of homebuyers being able to ask for a curated personalized search from the various AI tools: such searches linking direct to and taking data from agents’ own websites.
Many of us look forward to the day when the relevance and position of portals is comprehensively reset in the minds of homebuyers, and agents re-acquire the resources currently wasted on them. Portals have had their day and for one in particular, I will not shed a tear.
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
The portals will be favoured by AI because it is a vast amount of resources in a single location- so it’s efficient. However, what the portals struggle with is having all the data about a property and it being accurate. Agents can, if they choose, create preferential property listings on their own websites by taking two primary approaches. Firstly, ensuring that their property listings on their own website are optimised for AEO (AI search). This is more about the architecture of your pages and how easy the data is to access than anything else. Secondly, by having an array of comprehensive data on your own property listings that are not shared with the portals, will give AI a reason to prefer your own listings over that of a portal. By also taking steps like listing your property on your website days before it goes to the portals will also give your listings priority (in SEO as well). Build for the future, not today.
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
I’d wager that public perception is very much in keeping with the adoption curve seen whenever new technologies emerge. Hype and over-excitement, followed by cynicism and caution- followed by a strong growing curve of adoption. Thinking AI is the answer to everything is madness, but ignoring it is like a cotton farmer ignoring the mills. Change is coming and you can get onboard or get left behind. However, HOW AI is leveraged is becoming increasingly important. ‘cosmetic’ AI will quickly become boring- transformative AI wont. The only thing I find confusing here is why it took them so long.
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register