Guest editorial: AI innovations and applications in property management

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly reshaping property management by enabling data-driven decision-making, automation and enhanced service delivery across the built environment. Advances in machine learning, analytics and intelligent systems are transforming how properties are valued, operated and managed. In recognition of these developments, Property Management (PM) presents this special issue on “AI innovations and applications in property management.” The objective of this special issue is to examine how AI technologies are being applied in property management practice and to explore their managerial, ethical and regulatory implications. The issue comprises 14 peer-reviewed papers, reflecting diverse methodological approaches and international perspectives. Key contributions address AI-driven property valuation and performance analysis, demonstrating how automated and predictive models enhance accuracy, efficiency and transparency. Other papers focus on AI-enabled property management systems, highlighting innovations in maintenance management, energy optimisation, tenant engagement and operational efficiency. Together, these studies show how AI applications are reshaping core property management functions. The special issue also engages with ethical and governance challenges, including data privacy, algorithmic bias, transparency and regulatory readiness. In addition, several papers examine AI innovations in property search and decision support, illustrating improvements in user experience while raising important concerns regarding trust and fairness. Overall, this special issue advances both theory and practice by offering timely insights into AI innovations and their practical applications in property management. The Guest Editor thanks the authors, reviewers and Emerald editorial team for their valuable contributions and support. It is hoped that this collection will stimulate further research and informed dialogue on the responsible adoption of AI in property management.