Sherry Rexroad, CFO of Piedmont Realty Trust (NYSE: PDM), sat down for a video interview at Nareit’s REITwise: 2026 Educational Conference in Hollywood, Florida, March 24-26.
Rexroad discussed how AI is already delivering measurable value in high-volume, data-intensive functions like accounts payable/receivable, tenant operations, and scenario analysis. However, she stressed that success depends less on the technology itself and more on disciplined governance and risk control.
Piedmont approaches AI as a cross-functional tool by combining centralized design and oversight with decentralized implementation, Rexroad explained. A beta group of early adopters tests use cases, shares insights, and helps scale solutions responsibly across the organization. Rexroad noted that adoption spans all age groups and underscores the importance of maintaining human judgment throughout.
In HR, AI improves efficiency—such as drafting job descriptions or screening resumes—but should not replace human decision-making or culture-building. For investors, she notes that AI strategies must be quantified in terms of productivity, efficiency, and cost impact, rather than presented as abstract innovation. “Investors don't want an AI story, they want something they can underwrite. And so to the extent that we can quantify the results of our AI implementation, then that's the best scenario,” she said.