In an increasingly competitive real estate market, artificial intelligence is transforming how properties are listed and optimized. We spoke with Manuel Pérez García, CEO and founder of PhotoILike, a startup born out of the research environment at the Universidade da Coruña, which has developed a pioneering solution to maximize the visual and commercial impact of real estate listings. Their system, unique in the market, can generate descriptions, sort images, and enhance photos in seconds—with measurable results in lead generation. In this interview, he tells us how the project started, the innovation behind it, and what’s coming next.
Tell us briefly about your background and how the company came to be. What role did the Universidade da Coruña play in the project’s origins?
PhotoILike was born from a group of leading researchers in artificial intelligence (AI) applied to creativity, led by Juan Romero, who was named Europe’s best AI researcher in 2021. Their aim was to contribute real products to society, beyond simply sharing their findings with the academic community. The university, along with institutions like the Xunta de Galicia and the Galician Innovation Agency (GAIN), supported the creation of this project through the Ignicia program. At that point, I joined the team to launch PhotoILike, bringing my experience in startup development and my background in finance.
We designed the only AI system capable of measuring the commercial appeal of an image.
What exactly is PhotoILike, and how does it improve the listing process in the real estate sector?
Our app automatically generates optimized listings to attract the highest number of potential leads. Based on photos and some basic property data (location, square meters, number of rooms), we create the ideal listing: we enhance the images, arrange them in order, and write an engaging description.
It’s an all-in-one solution powered by AI that turns basic photos into professional listings ready to be published in seconds.
We also offer additional features, including automated home staging—a technology-driven technique that visually prepares a property for sale or rent without physical intervention. We also create content for appraisals and generate videos. Plus, we help automate various processes and workflows.
A picture is worth a thousand words. What real impact does a well-chosen photo have on a property’s commercial performance?
We’ve conducted A/B testing with major players in the Spanish real estate sector (portals, servicers, and agencies), as well as in countries like Mexico, Portugal, and Italy. These tests compare two versions of the same content to evaluate which performs better, allowing us to optimize lead generation effectively. In every case, our AI systems delivered improvements of over 20% in potential lead generation compared to listings created by industry professionals.
In fact, our commercial strategy focuses on encouraging clients to try our product so they can see for themselves the boost in leads and visits we provide.
“We designed the only AI system capable of measuring the commercial appeal of an image.”
How does your AI work, and what kind of analysis does it perform on images?
We use various automated systems to enhance images, generate text, extract information from each photo, and classify them, among other tasks. The commercial appeal score is based on an AI model that predicts the click-through rate each image will receive. This system was trained using over 1.5 million individual surveys conducted with people evaluating real estate photos. Given how fast the technology evolves, we are constantly updating and improving.
How is PhotoILike different from other tech solutions available to real estate agencies?
The key difference is that we support the entire listing creation process using intelligent technology. Thanks to our app, agents can generate a complete and optimized listing even before leaving the property after the first visit. Also, we are the only platform that can arrange the image order optimally, based on the actual impact each photo has. We are continuously evolving, improving, and adding new capabilities.
What features stand out in your AutoAd system? How does it make daily work easier for agencies or portals?
Our clients get better performance in both views and leads for their properties, and they gain access to more data, allowing them to make better-informed decisions. They can create content faster than their competitors—a big plus for agencies focused on rentals, as well as for servicers managing large portfolios of assets who need to publish listings quickly.
We’ve also recently added a home staging module that provides examples of possible renovations or improvements for the property.
“The use of our AI systems has led to more than 20% improvement in lead generation.”
What measurable results have you observed after implementing PhotoILike in real estate campaigns?
In all tests conducted by our clients, we’ve seen an increase in conversion rates from listing views to detail views, typically improving by 10% to 20%, based on comparisons with listings created by professional experts.
Lead generation tends to increase by 35% to 45%, according to the same tests and always benchmarked against clients’ own original listings.
Can you share a success story that shows the impact of your technology on the industry?
Some of our major clients do not allow us to share their data publicly, but we can mention Vivienda2, a leading real estate agency in Madrid. This agency saw a 40% increase in average leads per listing after implementing our technology.
What are your short- and medium-term expansion plans? Are you exploring other sectors or markets?
Right now, we are focused on expanding our commercial reach across Europe and Latin America. We’ve developed specific solutions for vacation rentals and are adapting them for the hotel industry. The next vertical will be vehicles and the second-hand goods market in general. We’re also working on a new product for fashion and furniture, which we expect to launch in 2026.
And of course, we want to keep growing in every way. Soon, we’ll announce a major strategic decision on our journey to becoming a leading player in AI-driven image solutions.
