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Zillow chief executive Jeremy Wacksman argues that people will use AI agents for chores such as booking appointments, but are unlikely to delegate the search for a home. He made the case on Zillow’s quarterly earnings call, where the stakes are plain: an agent that searches listings could bypass the company’s site and its human agents.

Wacksman says Zillow is not yet seeing meaningful traffic from AI platforms, and that about 80% of its traffic comes directly to the site. The company also says more than 2.5 million people used its conversational AI search mode between March and September, asking 8.5 million questions. That is a useful tension: people may welcome AI as a house-hunting assistant without wanting it to take over a high-stakes, personal decision. Zillow’s figures suggest interest in AI-assisted search, not proof that shoppers will let agents choose a home for them.

Discuss: For a decision as personal as choosing a home, would you trust an AI agent to narrow the options, or should it stay out of the search altogether?

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