In this episode of The Report, Alex Howe, SVP Marketing + Growth, Funnel and Tyler Christiansen, CEO, Funnel share the results of a study they commissioned to answer a simple question: how does Funnel's AI stack up against the biggest names in the industry?

In the spirit of the world's best teams competing at the highest level, they put Funnel's voice and chat AI to the test — independently, blindly, and against competitors' best examples.

Funnel won every single matchup. The more interesting story is why — and what it signals about where multifamily AI is headed.

The setup:

• An independent research firm ran six blind, head-to-head studies in April and May

• 169 real American renters tested Funnel’s chat and voice AI against three major competitors: two legacy property management platforms and a self-described "AI leader" in multifamily

• Renters had 30 minutes and a broad mandate: schedule a tour, ask about pet policies, and interrupt the voice AI mid-sentence to see how it responded

By the numbers:

• Funnel won all six head-to-head matchups

• Nearly 3 in 4 renters preferred Funnel's chat AI; 2 in 3 preferred Funnel's voice AI

• 81% said Funnel felt more knowledgeable in chat; 67% said the same in voice

• In chat AI, Funnel outperformed the competition by 6-27% in renter satisfaction and 7-52% in human-likeness.

• In voice AI, Funnel outperformed the competition by 5-10% in renter satisfaction and 4-27% in human-likeness.

Four themes renters mentioned often

• Warmth. Competitors were described as "abrupt," "formal," and — my personal favorite — "the audio version of a brochure."

• Transparency. Funnel answered questions about fees, breed restrictions, and community specifics directly in the conversation. Competitors sent renters to links. Renters noticed, and they didn't like it.

• The ability to actually listen. In voice, renters could interrupt Funnel, pause, change direction — and Funnel kept up. Competitors talked over them. That was the single biggest complaint in the voice study.

• Anticipation. Funnel volunteered relevant details before renters had to ask. It felt like the AI was thinking ahead, not just responding.

Fresh off Forum 2026, Alex Howe, SVP of Marketing and Growth and Tyler Christiansen, CEO of Funnel, break down the biggest ideas, conversations, and moments from this year’s event. They cover what stood out from sessions with Clay Bavor, Jay Parsons, Kristy Simonett, Mia Hamm, and others, along with what operators should be paying attention to right now around AI, market conditions, leadership, and change.

To stay up-to-date follow Funnel on Linkedin and connect with Tyler there, too.

In this episode, Alex Howe, SVP Marketing + Growth, at Funnel talks with Tyler Christiansen, CEO, Funnel about what RETTC Tech Executive Summit revealed, and why execution beats hype. They break down the first rent payment inside ChatGPT with BH Management, what “agentic AI” really requires (guardrails, auditability, trust), and why operators can’t automate their way out of a broken operating model. They close on the workforce and policy realities shaping the year ahead and the playbook that’s emerging: standardize the work, then automate what’s repeatable, and keep humans focused on the moments that actually need judgment and care.

If you enjoyed this conversation, you’ll love Forum. Register today.

To stay up-to-date follow Funnel on Linkedin and connect with Tyler there, too.