Source: https://agentshelf.com/blog/nar-ai-policy-kit-what-it-covers
Published: July 28, 2026
Author: Jason Hernandez
Category: Commentary

In March, the National Association of Realtors released an **AI policy kit for brokerages**: a template policy, a glossary, an FAQ, and a one-page summary. If your brokerage doesn't have an AI policy yet, it is a reasonable place to start. It is also worth knowing what it does and doesn't do, because it is easy to assume a template from NAR carries more weight than it does.

## What it covers

The template is more specific than I expected. A few of the requirements:

- **Human review before anything goes out.** Mandatory for AI-generated content that is published in a listing, sent to a client, used in marketing, included in transaction documents or disclosures, or used in a property valuation or CMA.
- **An AI Oversight Lead.** The brokerage names someone, such as the managing broker or a compliance officer, to approve AI use cases involving client data, MLS data, transaction documents, or marketing.
- **Approved tools only.** No client or transaction data goes into an AI tool without prior approval, and consumer-grade tools such as free ChatGPT are off limits for client work.
- **MLS data.** AI tools may not be used to scrape, redistribute, or repurpose MLS data in violation of MLS rules or licensing agreements.
- **Fair housing.** It lists example phrases AI should not produce, such as "perfect for a young professional couple," and requires review of any AI-written neighborhood or school descriptions.
- **Limits on agentic AI.** Fully autonomous execution is prohibited for high-impact work like client communications, transaction documents, and pricing recommendations.
- **Vendor contracts.** They should prohibit the vendor from training on brokerage or client data.

My earlier post on [NAR's AI guidance](/blog/nar-guidance-on-ai-use) described a lot of general principles. This is the first thing from NAR that reads like something you could actually adopt.

## What it leaves to you

The disclaimer at the top says NAR is providing the kit "as a resource only," does not suggest or require anyone to adopt it, and that no one may rely on it "as legal advice or a failsafe against legal liability." So it is optional, and NAR can't enforce it on anyone.

It is also a template with blanks. The brokerage name, the oversight lead, the approved tools list, and the contacts for incidents are all brackets. Someone has to decide who the oversight lead is, which tools are approved, and what happens when an agent breaks the rules. The enforcement section lists penalties up to termination, but a brokerage has to be willing to use them.

Two things deserve a closer look before you adopt it as written. The template says independent contractors are bound by the policy. Whether that holds depends on your agent agreements, so have an attorney check them. And it requires legal review of high-risk uses, which means it assumes you have legal counsel to call.

## The practical takeaway

Use it as a starting draft, not a finished policy. Customize it to your tools, run it past an attorney, and train your agents on it. A policy that sits in a folder doesn't protect anyone. If you want a walkthrough, my [guide on writing an AI policy](/guides/ai-policy-for-your-team-or-brokerage) covers the steps and includes a template.

_- Jason_