A letting agent linked to Irish property group DNG has apologized after apartment listings featured AI-edited photos that made rooms appear brighter and, in some cases, noticeably different from what was actually there.
Here's what to know
Following questions from The Journal, the property group directed the letting agent, DNG O'Connor Finn, to update the listings on property website Daft.ie and its own website by adding the original photos and including a notice about AI use.
The edits were not minor. A bedroom image appeared to alter the flooring, curtains, radiator, and even the mattress size. Similarly, a kitchen photo turned a dim room with half-painted cabinets and different flooring into a bright, polished-looking space.
Under Advertising Standards Authority rules, AI can be used in advertising if that use is disclosed and the unedited images are shown nearby. In these listings, though, the original photos were placed much farther down the page.
More background
Social Democrats housing spokesperson Rory Hearne told The Journal that it is "distasteful" for agents to publish "false images."
"Even if the image retains the exact dimensions of the property in the picture, the AI may brighten the picture and misrepresent the light in the space, impose changes that are structurally not possible in the space, or make changes that would require planning permission," Hearne added.
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What's being done?
DNG said the edits were "intended solely to improve the presentation and visual quality of the photographs and were not used to alter or misrepresent the size, layout, condition or material features of a property." The company also said it is new to AI, has reminded agents of the rules, and plans to review ads across its network.
"It's just wrong that estate agents are using digital staging, which could be prone to any number of errors and will undoubtedly misrepresent the property, rather than showing what the property is actually like in reality," Hearne said.
Where can I learn more?
Questions about AI-touched property photos have come up elsewhere in real estate. They range from misleading listing images and agency backlash to homes that became punchlines online.
• A homebuyer posted side-by-side listing photos after an AI-polished house fell short in person.
• In Australia, residents blasted a real estate agency over lighting that bent advertising rules.
• Online commenters questioned if an outrageous "nightmare" mansion had been designed by AI.
• A confounding home listing featured staircases that seemed impossible, fueling disbelief across social media.
• Viewers said a high-profile home's roofline made no sense in photos.
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