Education programs compared

CRE AI Institute vs Sphere (NextAutomation)

The CRE AI Institute teaches hands-on Claude workflows on a practice deal with answer keys. Sphere, NextAutomation's community on Skool, has a lower entry price and teaches n8n and Claude workflows.

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Short answer

For Claude practice on a deal with answer keys, choose the CRE AI Institute

The CRE AI Institute teaches Claude and AI agent workflows on the Desert Grove practice deal, with two certificates. Sphere fits if you want a lower entry price ($49 a month on Skool) or n8n automation alongside Claude.

A 7-day free trial
Weekly live office hours on Premium
One lesson free, no account needed

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AI tools taught
CRE AI Institute
Claude and AI agents
Sphere
n8n and Claude workflows Source: NextAutomation Community (the AI Sphere)
Certificates
CRE AI Institute
Two, in the membership
Sphere
A verifiable certificate, per its compare page Source: NextAutomation, comparison of AI communities for commercial real estate
Live sessions
CRE AI Institute
Weekly, on Premium
Sphere
Weekly live Q&A, per Skool Source: NextAutomation - Sphere, group page

Verified November 5, 2026

The two programs, side by side

We run the Institute, so it is the highlighted side.

CRE AI Institute and Sphere (NextAutomation) compared, as verified November 5, 2026.
Compared on	Our pickCRE AI Institute	Sphere
AI tools taught	Built on ClaudeClaude and AI agent workflows, on every tier	Production n8n and Claude workflows, with weekly live working sessions Source: NextAutomation Community (the AI Sphere)A Claude Code track, per Skool Source: NextAutomation - Sphere, group page
Practice and exercises	The Desert Grove practice dealWith answer keys, on every tier	10 modules and 65+ lessons, each with a practice exercise, by its own count Source: NextAutomation - Sphere, group page
Certificates	Two certificatesAI Fluency on every tier; AI Operator on Premium	A verifiable certificate, scored on a 6-axis rubric, per its compare page Source: NextAutomation, comparison of AI communities for commercial real estate
Live sessions	Weekly, on PremiumLive office hours and workshops, plus live deal clinics	Weekly live Q&A, per Skool Source: NextAutomation - Sphere, group page
Who runs it	Zed Truong, founder of the CRE AI InstituteWith the team at Pacific Software Ventures, which builds AI systems for CRE firms	By Sasha Deneux on Skool, built by NextAutomation Source: NextAutomation - Sphere, group pageCo-founders Lucas Eschapasse and Sasha Deneux, in Miami Source: NextAutomation, About
Team training	PSV-led, inside your firmOn your own deals, through PSV's AI training	Custom team training, scoped on a call, per its compare page Source: NextAutomation, comparison of AI communities for commercial real estate
Free trial	A 7-day free trialAnd one full lesson free, with no account	A 7-day free trial, per NextAutomation's compare page Source: NextAutomation, comparison of AI communities for commercial real estate
Price	$69/mo on StandardPremium is $99/mo	$49/mo on Skool Source: NextAutomation - Sphere, group pageCommunity $49/mo; Community + Training App $72/mo, on its site Source: NextAutomation Community (the AI Sphere)$49 Standard, $72 Premium, $500 Sphere Pro a month, captured 2026-06-27 Source: NextAutomation, comparison of AI communities for commercial real estate
Community	A private member communityWe do not publish a member count	316 members, per Skool's counter Source: NextAutomation - Sphere, group page“300+” members, by NextAutomation's own count Source: NextAutomation Community (the AI Sphere)

Who it fits

Which one should you pick

Looking for a NextAutomation community alternative? Here is who each one fits.

Our pick

Choose the CRE AI Institute if

You want Claude workflows, practiced on one deal. Work the Desert Grove deal, with answer keys, before you touch live data.
You want two certificates inside the membership. AI Fluency, plus AI Operator on Premium.
You want live help on your own deal. On Premium: weekly office hours, workshops and deal clinics.
You want to read a lesson before you sign up. One full lesson is free, with no account.

Start the 7-day free trial Read a free lesson

Choose Sphere if

You want the lower entry price: Sphere is $49 a month on Skool, against $69 for the Institute's Standard tier.
You want weekly live Q&A at the entry price, as its Skool page lists.
You want n8n automation alongside Claude, and a Claude Code track.

Sources: Source 1, Source 2.

The detail

Every fact, with its source

NextAutomation's figures about Sphere are its claims, not our measurements. Where its pages list different prices, each one is shown with its source.

CRE AI InstituteThe membership, in full

A self-paced curriculum of 3 courses and 38 lessons, inside a private community of CRE professionals. Launched July 2026.
Standard $69/mo; Premium $99/mo (against a $199/mo list price); Advisory $499/mo, which adds a monthly one-to-one hour with a PSV founder.

Sphere (NextAutomation)Who runs it

Skool lists the group as “NextAutomation - Sphere”, by Sasha Deneux, and says it was built by NextAutomation. Source: NextAutomation - Sphere, group page
NextAutomation's About page names Lucas Eschapasse (CEO & Co-Founder) and Sasha Deneux (Co-Founder & COO), and says it is based in Miami, Florida. Source: NextAutomation, About
The same page describes NextAutomation as “sourcing infrastructure for commercial real estate”, and says it also offers operating audits, team training and executive coaching. Source: NextAutomation, About

Sphere (NextAutomation)Price and plans

The Skool page lists Sphere at $49/month (November 5, 2026). Source: NextAutomation - Sphere, group page
NextAutomation's community page lists two monthly plans: Community at $49/mo and Community + Training App at $72/mo, marked “Most Popular”. Source: NextAutomation Community (the AI Sphere)
NextAutomation's CRE community comparison lists Sphere at $49/month Standard, $72/month Premium and $500/month Sphere Pro, with prices “captured 2026-06-27”. Source: NextAutomation, comparison of AI communities for commercial real estate
That comparison page lists Sphere on a 7-day free trial. Source: NextAutomation, comparison of AI communities for commercial real estate
The Community plan lists production n8n and Claude workflows, the system prompts behind the agents, weekly live working sessions and async expert Q&A. Source: NextAutomation Community (the AI Sphere)
The Training App plan adds the “Complete AI Mastery course library”, new modules as the field changes, and hands-on exercises applied to deals. Source: NextAutomation Community (the AI Sphere)

Sphere (NextAutomation)Curriculum and certificate

The Skool page says Sphere has “10 modules, 65+ lessons mapped to the 5 roles that run modern real estate”, with a practice exercise in its app for each lesson. Source: NextAutomation - Sphere, group page
It lists prompts and skills for IC memos, OM extraction, comp validation, T12s, LP updates and sponsor screening, and “A Claude Code track that turns tool users into system builders”. Source: NextAutomation - Sphere, group page
NextAutomation's compare page says Sphere members are scored on a 6-axis fluency rubric and earn a verifiable certificate. Source: NextAutomation, comparison of AI communities for commercial real estate
The same page recommends custom team training on your own stack and deals, scoped on a call, with no published price. Source: NextAutomation, comparison of AI communities for commercial real estate

Sphere (NextAutomation)Live sessions and community

The Skool page lists weekly live Q&A and “Direct access to Lucas and Sasha”. Source: NextAutomation - Sphere, group page
Skool shows 316 members and 3 admins on the group (November 5, 2026). Source: NextAutomation - Sphere, group page
NextAutomation's community page shows “300+” under the label “Members shipping today”. Source: NextAutomation Community (the AI Sphere)

Sphere (NextAutomation)What we could not verify

Whether the 7-day free trial on NextAutomation's compare page applies at the Skool or community checkout. Neither of those pages shows trial terms.
What Sphere Pro ($500/month) includes, and where it is sold.
Which NextAutomation plan the Skool listing matches.
Member numbers. Skool's counter and NextAutomation's “300+” are not independently verified.
Who teaches each module, and how the live sessions are run.
Team-training prices, refund terms, and outcome or retention data.

Frequently asked

Institute vs Sphere, answered

What is the difference between the CRE AI Institute and Sphere by NextAutomation?

The CRE AI Institute is a self-paced Claude curriculum: 3 courses and 38 lessons on the Desert Grove practice deal. Sphere is NextAutomation's community on Skool, which says it has 10 modules and 65+ lessons, with n8n and Claude workflows.

Sources: Source 1, Source 2.

How much does Sphere cost compared with the CRE AI Institute?

The CRE AI Institute is $69 a month on Standard and $99 on Premium. Skool lists Sphere at $49 a month. NextAutomation's site lists $49 and $72 plans, and its compare page adds $500 Sphere Pro, captured 2026-06-27.

Sources: Source 1, Source 2, Source 3.

Is there a free trial?

The CRE AI Institute has a 7-day free trial on every tier, and one lesson is free with no account. NextAutomation's compare page lists a 7-day free trial for Sphere. Its Skool and community pages do not show trial terms.

Sources: Source 1.

Who runs Sphere?

The CRE AI Institute is run by Pacific Software Ventures. Skool lists Sphere as “NextAutomation - Sphere”, by Sasha Deneux. NextAutomation's About page names Lucas Eschapasse and Sasha Deneux as its co-founders.

Sources: Source 1, Source 2.

Do both offer a certificate?

Yes. The CRE AI Institute awards AI Fluency on every tier and AI Operator on Premium. NextAutomation's compare page says Sphere members earn a verifiable certificate, scored on a 6-axis fluency rubric.

Sources: Source 1.

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