From Outdated Platforms to AI: The New Era of Commercial Real Estate Lending

Written by:

Rudi Davis

Date:

15 Sep 2025

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The commercial real estate lending industry is undergoing a fundamental transformation, driven by the integration of artificial intelligence into traditionally manual processes, according to iKenekt CTO Anthony Viviani.

“We saw a systemic issue across the entire industry. Borrowers were dealing with a system that felt clunky and antiquated, kind of slow, anything but user friendly,” Viviani says, reflecting on his 15 years of experience in the sector. “That’s what brought us to this point with AI, because we see it as the next major shift in how commercial real estate investing and lending will be done.”

The Technology Gap in Commercial Lending

According to Viviani, the commercial real estate lending industry has historically lagged in technological adoption. “As a brokerage, we realized that the borrower experience just wasn’t where it should be,” he says, noting that this observation sparked his team’s initial focus on developing mobile tools that weren’t available at the time.

This early emphasis on technology adoption, Viviani says, helped identify broader opportunities for innovation in the lending process. “It wasn’t only about improving our process. We saw a systemic issue across the entire industry,” he explains.

Creating an AI-Powered Ecosystem

Viviani says iKenekt’s approach goes beyond traditional lending platforms. “We’ve built an AI-powered ecosystem that takes complex market data and turns it into insights that are easy to understand and act on,” he explains.

The platform combines predictive analytics with real-time intelligence and personalized guidance, which Viviani says helps streamline the traditionally complex lending process. “The AI handles the heavy lifting when it comes to financing,” he notes.

Streamlining the Borrower Experience

According to Viviani, one key innovation is reducing the traditional back-and-forth of the lending process. “Unlike other platforms, you’re not bombarded with endless calls and emails,” he says, explaining that the AI matches borrowers with appropriate loan programs before connecting them with a loan officer.

This streamlined approach, Viviani says, helps address a long-standing pain point in commercial real estate lending while maintaining the necessary human oversight for complex transactions.

The Road Ahead

As iKenekt prepares for a major market push in September 2025, Viviani says the focus is on demonstrating how AI can transform the lending experience. “This is something different. This is something that you’ve not seen before,” he says, emphasizing the platform’s potential to reshape how commercial real estate transactions are financed.

The company’s approach suggests that while AI may be driving the transformation of commercial real estate lending, the ultimate measure of success will be how effectively it improves the borrower experience.