Bilt Unveils AI Tools to Help Small Businesses Find Customers

WHO:

NY Post - Bilt launched an AI-powered platform to connect local businesses with new customers.

NY Post - Bilt also launched a second platform for organizations with sizable customer bases, such as sports teams and event venues.

Fox Business - Bilt, known for helping renters earn rewards on housing payments, announced its expansion into local commerce.

Fox Business - Bilt founder and CEO Ankur Jain said the online-commerce technology revolution had “largely left behind the businesses that make our neighborhoods special.”

Fox Business - Jain said Bilt’s “number-one goal is to grow small business” and to help smaller businesses “grow and win against large companies that have had an unfair advantage on them.”

Fox Business - Valerie White, head of National Housing Strategic Initiatives at Local Initiatives Support Corporation, said the partnership would test ways to connect financial coaching and resources with housing goals, including paths to homeownership.

WHAT:

Fox Business - Bilt announced “Bilt Neighborhood OS,” an AI platform intended to help merchants attract customers, personalize offers, build loyalty, and manage business activities.

Fox Business - Bilt Membership Platform lets organizations in sports, travel, hospitality, workplaces, and financial services create branded membership programs or extend rewards into local communities.

Fox Business - Bilt said its network has more than 8.2 million members, who generated more than $12 billion in rewarded commerce at local businesses over the preceding 12 months.

Fox Business - Bilt said its AI agents completed more than 2 million actions across more than 29,000 businesses during the preceding 30 days; 91% were completed without human intervention.

Fox Business - Bilt is giving $100,000 to Local Initiatives Support Corporation.

Fox Business - Bilt’s commissioned State of the Neighborhood study surveyed 6,591 U.S. adults. Two-thirds said at least 80% of their everyday spending was in their neighborhood; the median consumer shopped within 15 miles of home. 95% would try a local business at least once for points or rewards, and 87% said rewards would make them shop locally more often.

Fox Business - Bilt estimated that about $6.6 trillion in annual U.S. retail and food-services spending takes place in person.

Fox Business - Bilt acquired loyalty technology company LAVA for $300 million; Bilt said LAVA’s technology supports programs for 56 professional sports teams.

Fox Business - Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury, Houston Rockets, Houston Texans, Houston Comets, and Sacramento Kings are planning branded fan-loyalty experiences.

WHERE:

Fox Business - Bilt said it reaches approximately one in four U.S. apartment buildings.

Fox Business - The planned sports loyalty experiences could reward fans inside and outside stadiums.

WHEN:

Fox Business - Bilt was launched in 2021.

Fox Business - Bilt expects to process more than $100 billion in housing payments this year.

Fox Business - Integrations and capabilities are scheduled to roll out in phases beginning in 2027.

Fox Business - Bilt said it will partner with Meta in 2027 to provide education and business resources to small-business owners.

Fox Business - The sports loyalty experiences are planned to launch in phases beginning in 2027.

WHY:

Fox Business - Bilt said the expansion aims to help local merchants reach nearby customers and compete in an increasingly technology-driven economy, while giving consumers more ways to earn rewards near home.

Fox Business - Jain said restricting AI development could hurt smaller companies and called AI “a great democratizing force in Congress.”

HOW:

Fox Business - Neighborhood OS can help merchants reach new customers without replacing their existing business technology.

Fox Business - Bilt’s inaugural State of the Neighborhood study was conducted by 451 Research by S&P Global.

Fox Business - Neighborhood OS connects with existing reservation, payment, customer-management, loyalty, and point-of-sale systems; it can identify potential customers, send targeted offers, recognize returning guests, and apply rewards.

Fox Business - Neighborhood ID is described as a privacy-preserving system that connects customer experiences without exchanging raw customer data; Neighborhood Pass provides eligible members personalized rewards and benefits at participating businesses.

Fox Business - Bilt is partnering with Verifone, Clover from Fiserv, Shift4, OpenTable, and Grubhub; Bilt also is working with Mastercard to extend cardholder rewards to participating neighborhood businesses.

Fox Business - Bilt and Hyatt are exploring rewards for World of Hyatt members through neighborhood experiences.

(UPDATED November 10, 2026 23:01 UTC)

Bilt is expanding beyond rent rewards, using AI to help local businesses attract customers. Its new platforms offer personalized promotions and loyalty programs. Sports teams plan to launch fan rewards beginning in 2027.

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(UPDATED November 10, 2026 22:07 UTC)

Bilt is expanding beyond rent rewards, launching AI tools to connect local businesses with customers. A second platform helps sports teams and other organizations create branded membership programs. Services begin rolling out in 2027.