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Artificial Intelligence has had a storming half
decade. In just five years, it has gone from the world

of science fiction to mainstream discourse.

In effect, computers can now see, hear and read as well First, we will be able to understand exactly how our build-
as we can. ings are working, at a very granular level, and in so doing
we will be able to run them far more efficiently and effec-
And in the commercial real estate industry that really mat- tively.
ters. The ability to understand the build environment by
pointing a camera at it, to read the voluminous quantities Secondly, we will be able to understand exactly how
of paperwork that weaves its way around the industry, everyone who uses our buildings, spaces and places
and to be able to interact with our customers (everyone really does use them. Where do they go, what do they use,
who enters into any of our spaces and places) just by lis- when do they use it; all this will enable us to define, refine
tening to what they have to say, is truly a transformational and curate the UX, the user experience, of all our custom-
power we now have at our disposal. ers in a way we simply cannot do now. This will be a true
#SpaceAsAService world where we will be able to provide
For example, what if we could enable customers to exactly the spaces and services that people need, wher-
search for space visually, by choosing images that appeal ever and whenever they need them.
to them, instead of making them fill in forms and describe
what it is they are after? Or understand the ‘mood’ of vis- And thirdly, we will be able to understand exactly who our
itors to our shopping centers, or find potential new devel- customers are, what they need, desire and are pleased by
opment sites by analyzing drone footage? Or understand in a way we’ve not been able to, to date.
exactly how people are using our offices or shops, the
better to configure them for reality as opposed to hunch? As we understand how our buildings operate, how they
What if we could analyze all correspondence that goes are used, and the needs and requirements of those who
out of or into our businesses in real time, to look for pat- use them better, we will be able to build a better built envi-
terns, insights and ‘unknown unknowns’? Or prioritize ronment for them. Today, research tells us that roughly
work orders, deal flows, job applications automatically 50% of office occupiers do not find their offices help
and route them appropriately. Or have reports collated, them be productive; and roughly 50% of the time these
processed and presented in real-time that we can then spaces are not in use anyway. With wise use of Artificial
spend time analyzing rather than laboring over. Intelligence, coupled with the very best human skills we
should be able to do much better than this.
What if we could support our customers better by asking
them to just talk to us? 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, So forget about Blockchain and Bitcoin for now; concen-
365 days a year, we should be able to answer the needs trate on learning how AI can, and will, radically and rapidly
of our customers in a way that suits them. We should be transform what it means to be in the real estate industry.
able to talk to our buildings, and have them understand
us; it’s too hot, or cold, or bright or dark, or stuffy. Where Antony Slumbers has over 20 years experience
is X, or who is Y? Just walk around the city and see how developing and running online technology
many people are talking into the ether, plugged in as they companies, primarily within the commercial
are to the microphone and headphones; Voice is the new office and property management sectors. He has
computing interface. recently co-founded PropAI (www.propai.co.uk),
a company dedicated to the advancement of AI in the real estate
In an AI powered world the commercial real estate indus- industry in partnership with OFTNAI, the Oxford Foundation
try will be able to do three things, of huge importance, for Theoretical Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence, headed
that it cannot do today: by Oxford University’s Dr. Simon Stringer. He blogs regularly at
antonyslumbers.com.

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