Day Two Keynote Recap: Jack Dangermond Opens the 2026 Fall Forum

The future of commercial real estate isn’t just about what we build, buy or invest in. It’s increasingly about understanding where and why. 

That idea took center stage as Jack Dangermond, founder of Esri, helped kick off the 2026 Fall Forum with a keynote exploring how geography, technology, AI and data are helping professionals see the world and the opportunities within it differently. 

Seeing the Bigger Picture 

What began as a small consulting firm founded by Dangermond and his wife, Laura, has grown into Esri, a global leader in geographic information systems (GIS). 

During his keynote, Dangermond demonstrated how GIS brings layers of information together to reveal patterns, relationships and opportunities that might otherwise be difficult to see. Visit Esri to learn more about the platform. 

For commercial real estate professionals, those capabilities have powerful applications. From understanding properties and markets to urban planning, infrastructure management and environmental assessments, location intelligence can help professionals move beyond simply having more data to making better decisions with it. 

Intersection of Geography and AI 

Dangermond explored how AI, digital twins, IoT, cloud computing and increasingly connected data are enhancing GIS and creating new ways to understand places in real time. 

Digital twins can help model cities, airports, seaports, and infrastructure. AI can help uncover insights across massive amounts of geographic information. Together, these technologies can give decisionmakers a clearer picture of not only what exists today, but what could happen next. For CRE professionals navigating increasingly complex markets, that ability to connect people, property, infrastructure and data could become an increasingly valuable advantage. 

Building a More Intelligent Future 

Dangermond’s message went beyond technology. He challenged attendees to think about how better information, collaboration, and shared knowledge can help create more sustainable, resilient, and intelligent communities. 

Technology can give us powerful new ways to understand the world. What matters is how we use those insights to make decisions, serve clients, and create lasting impacts.  

Keynote Challenge: Look closer, think bigger, and consider the difference you want to make. 

What a way to open the 2026 Fall Forum! Keep Exploring What’s Next in CRE. The conversation about the future continues throughout the day. 

Read our panel recaps on the future of CRE professionals, AI and technology for more insights into how industry leaders are approaching the tools, skills and strategies shaping what comes next in commercial real estate.