On September 10, 2025, Capital Brief reported that News Corp. is in early-stage discussions with OpenAI about developing a real estate product tied to Realtor.com, the company’s U.S. property portal.
News Corp’s global CEO, Robert Thomson, told investors at the Goldman Sachs Communicopia conference in San Francisco that both he and OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, share a strong interest in real estate. He described an “empathy” between the companies that he believes will shape their ongoing talks.
Thomson emphasized that this is far from a finalized product, calling it “not a finished product yet, but early stage discussions”.
The AI Surge In Marketing
News Corp., OpenAI Explore Real Estate Partnership
A potential partnership between News Corp. and OpenAI could mark a significant shift in how consumers search for and interact with real estate online. The talks, which focus on Realtor.com, News Corp.’s U.S. property portal, are still in early stages, but both companies see value in joining forces.
For News Corp., the appeal lies in enhancing Realtor.com with artificial intelligence that goes beyond traditional search filters. Instead of simply entering a price range or number of bedrooms, buyers could type or ask natural language questions such as, “I need a four-bedroom home near top schools with a 20-minute commute to Research Triangle Park.” A conversational AI assistant could then guide them through listings, offer comparisons, and even estimate costs.
Deeper engagement with the site would keep users on Realtor.com longer, creating more opportunities for advertising revenue and lead generation for real estate agents and mortgage lenders. The move could also position Realtor.com as a technology leader in a field where competitors like Zillow and Redfin are already investing heavily in artificial intelligence.
News Corp. could benefit further by linking its broader media assets to the effort. With outlets such as The Wall Street Journal and Barron’s under its umbrella, the company could create a unique cross-platform experience, blending financial and housing market insights with AI-driven property searches.
OpenAI would gain access to Realtor.com’s vast housing data, providing a valuable training ground for domain-specific models focused on real estate and mortgage markets. That data could help OpenAI develop new tools to license to banks, brokerages, and other property technology platforms. At the same time, Realtor.com’s millions of monthly users would give OpenAI a direct consumer base, accelerating adoption of its products.
The partnership could also strengthen OpenAI’s reputation with regulators and consumers by showing its technology deployed in a high-trust sector. Working with a company as established as News Corp. signals both responsibility and reach.
Industry analysts say the move could open new revenue streams for both companies. Subscription models, AI-powered lead generation packages for real estate agents, and financial service integrations such as mortgage pre-qualification are all possibilities. Beyond residential sales, the partnership could eventually expand into rentals, commercial real estate, and international property markets.
By combining News Corp.’s trusted brands and data with OpenAI’s technology, the two companies have the potential to reshape the digital real estate experience and set a new standard for how consumers navigate one of life’s biggest financial decisions.