Zillow’s new AI staging feature is impressively unimpressive

Zillow, the real estate platform, has launched an AI-powered feature called Virtual Staging, which allows home hunters to virtually empty or subtly change the design style of a room. The intent is to help buyers visualize themselves living in a property, even if the current owner's design choices are less than ideal. While the concept of Virtual Staging is promising, the initial implementation is rather basic. The changes made are subtle, and it may be difficult for users to notice any significant differences without the aid of the tool's visual indicators. The feature is currently limited to premium "Showcase" listings, and it is only available on select featured room photos, with examples focusing on plain white walls. Overall, the Virtual Staging feature is an attempt by Zillow to address a common problem faced by home buyers, but the execution in this initial phase is somewhat underwhelming. Zillow aims to provide a "smarter way to shop" and sell, but the impact of Virtual Staging may be limited until the technology is further developed and expanded.