Tilen Pigac is a former property marketplace founder, licensed Hong Kong estate agent, and Senior Lecturer in Marketing at Hong Kong Metropolitan University. He co-founded FIND, an AI-powered property marketplace in Hong Kong, which he later successfully exited, and previously served as Head of Marketing at OPPO. His research focuses on consumer behaviour in AI-mediated markets, particularly how AI shapes trust, decision-making and consumer agency in high-stakes environments. Combining academic research with hands-on experience in technology, marketing and real estate, Tilen examines what consumers actually want from AI and how marketplaces can build experiences people trust, use and value.
The AI Search Trap: Why the Real Opportunity Lies Further Down the Decision Journey
Ask the property industry where AI will change the game and most people say search: conversational queries, smarter matching, natural-language filters. Tilen Pigac's research suggests that could be a trap. Search is where portals have spent decades building their strength, and it's also where AI is fast becoming a commodity. But consumers say they want something else from AI.
Buying or renting a home is one of the most uncertain, high-stakes decisions people ever make, and what they want is help with that uncertainty. They want more confidence, a clearer view of the trade-offs, and help deciding well. In this session, Tilen shares what his research shows about where consumers actually want AI to help, why the industry may be pointing its investment at the wrong stage of the journey, and what portals could build to own the moments that really matter. It's an industry talk built on evidence, not hype.
