Welcome to the CRE podcast, 100% Canadian, 100% commercial real estate. AI is reshaping commercial real estate, but the biggest barrier to adoption may not be technology; it may be fear.
In this episode of the Commercial Real Estate Podcast, powered by First National, hosts Aaron Cameron and Adam Powadiuk are joined by Stephanie Wood, VP at Alate Partners, to explore how CRE professionals can move beyond uncertainty and start using AI strategically. Stephanie shares practical examples of high-ROI applications, from lead-to-lease automation to underwriting, while explaining why subject matter expertise becomes even more valuable as AI takes on repetitive tasks.
The conversation also explores data security, change management, software investment cycles, and why Canada’s cautious approach could become a competitive disadvantage. Most importantly, Stephanie explains how organizations can start small, experiment safely, and build the confidence to turn AI into a competitive advantage.
What You Will Learn
- How to identify high-ROI AI use cases in your business
- Why subject matter expertise becomes more valuable in an AI-driven workplace
- The change management barrier is bigger than the technology barriers
- How to future-proof software investments without triggering “AI” paralysis
- Why Canadian real estate’s cautious approach is actually a strategic liability
- The practical starting point for any organization
Stephanie Wood is Vice President at Alate Partners, where she supports deal sourcing, due diligence, and portfolio management. Before joining Alate, she worked at CPP Investments in the Real Estate group, helping assess and implement a technology platform for the fund’s global real estate portfolio. She also spent three years in the Valuations group, gaining experience across asset classes. Stephanie holds an Honors Business Administration from the Richard Ivey School of Business and an Honors Specialization in Urban Development from Western University.
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