Only 3 months old, D.O.N.N.A. is already making its mark in multifamily circles.
D.O.N.N.A. is a shoe-wearing, hand-waving humanoid being introduced around real estate conferences this spring. It is the progeny of Raleigh, North Carolina-based student-housing firm The Preiss Co., powered by its subsidiary Iris Technologies. D.O.N.N.A. stands for Dynamic Operating Neural Network Assistant, named in honor of Preiss founder and CEO Donna Preiss.
In addition to making the conference circuit, D.O.N.N.A. marked its first documented humanoid robot interaction at an apartment property this spring, according to Whitney Kidd, senior vice president of innovation and technology at Preiss.
The meeting took place at the 1,008-bed Valentine Commons student housing property serving North Carolina State University in Raleigh. Preiss owns and manages the property. D.O.N.N.A. served as the keynote speaker for a resident event and engaged directly with residents, prospects and on-site staff.
“In multifamily, innovation is only meaningful when it enhances the resident experience and supports our on-site teams,” Kidd told CoStar News. “With D.O.N.N.A., we’re exploring how robotics and AI can become true operational partners — from leasing to maintenance to resident engagement. This isn’t about replacing people — it’s about empowering them with tools that make communities smarter, safer and more responsive.”
Kidd sees multiple uses for robotics at multifamily properties. They include, she said, providing after-hours support when on-site teams are unavailable, language translation assistance, grounds and janitorial tasks, package delivery support and greeting and guiding prospects during tours.