AI in the surveying industry and some more social media tips!

Hello readers! Welcome to my bi-monthly newsletter on social media in the surveying industry. Since the start of this year, I've been reading books, listening to podcasts, and taking courses about artificial intelligence [AI]. AI is causing many changes in digital marketing! So I cannot afford to sit on my laurels. I also want to share some of my thoughts on AI in the surveying world, so this edition is less social media but more AI.

AI in surveying

Some industries are slower to adopt advances in technologies such as AI and the residential surveying industry is one of them. In comparison to other industries like law or accounting, the media noise and discussion surrounding AI within the surveying industry (notably residential) is pretty quiet. There are many reasons for this.

Firstly, the residential surveying industry tends to have a slow pace of adopting new technologies. Surveyors can be risk-averse and quite resistant to change. I think there are certain behavioural characteristics whereby things have "always been done this way" so why change them?

"My camera pole does the job well enough" has been a common response to the use of drone technology for property inspections.

"There's nothing wrong with pen and paper on surveys, we don't need Ipads" - there has been a lot of critisism on the use of Ipads during an inspection.

Whatever tool suits you to get the job done is fine by me, but immediate rejection or suspicion of anything creative or innovative is common and short sighted. Defending what you know seems more important than considering what could be better. Let's keep an open mind as AI is here to stay whether we like it or not. It will be transformative for everyone..... eventually.

Another reason why I think AI is less disruptive within residential/building surveying is that a large proportion of the work involved is physical. Physical inspection through sight, touch and feel. Similarly, a lot of trades will not feel the effects of AI technology for a while such as plumbers, electricians etc.

Residential surveying compared to commercial or land surveying is not as heavily invested in when it comes to techology. It is a smaller sector and as such I think this means fewer AI technologies will appear at this stage.

Quantity surveying and land surveying are disciplines where AI seems to more readily adopted and talked about. These disciplines involve more data analytics and mathematics, an area where AI shines. Aside from automating routine tasks and analysing data, AI can provide insight into how quantity surveyors can manage costs and time more efficiently. To predict overruns and costs, quantity surveyors can utilise AI algorithms to identify trends and patterns in large volumes of project data. Similar applications are used in land surveying, where AI tools and software aid in collecting, processing, and analysing large amounts of geospatial data.

ChatGPT - Generative AI

Surveyors are increasingly asking me about AI and ChatGPT. This is the most known Generative AI model released in November 22 and had over 100 million users within a week! These generative AI tools enable you to create original content whether it be text, images, videos and even code. Word of warning: the output of these models is only as good as the instructions or prompts you give it (and of course the data it is built on!). Occasionally I have seen people criticise the models, claiming they are poor and mundane, but that's just because they haven't mastered prompting. You need to be clear about what output you want. You need to give it context, who is the audience, who is the writer, suggest style e.g. formal, casual, provide examples. There are plenty of courses out there to help you with this.

The better you get at prompting the better the results, end of.

Artificial intelligence can empower you as a surveyor. It is not a replacement. It is unlikely that robots will ever replace the physical requirement for inspecting properties, feeling defects, and even smelling them! In order to make a conclusion and recommendation, AI cannot replace the skill of sifting through scenarios and information about a defect, following a trail, collating all the evidence and forming a conclusion. AI systems cannot display empathy, relay a serious issue to a client with sensitive interests, or resolve immotive disputes over party walls. But it can access and analyse huge amounts of data at breakneck speed, as well as provide outputs in whatever format you require. It can significantly reduce the amount of time you spend on administrative tasks on a daily basis. It can aid in research and learning about tricky defects, applicable business regulations etc.

Do you remember the last time you scratched your head about a legal requirement or defect? Do you know where you found out? The power of AI-enabled search will enable us to understand topics faster and uncover deeper insights in the not too distant future. Search results will be more relevant. You could have your own ChatGPT, where you can upload all technical documents, books, RICS standards etc and query them in seconds. Upload your firm's policies etc to aid employee queries. Use generative AI models like ChatGPT to refine and tune your standard paragraphs. Make them more readable. Describe complex terms in professional but simple language for your clients. Do you struggle with writing? AI tools can help you write better, but the content and quality will still be up to you. Do you use a dictaphone, well the technology is already here to transcribe this in seconds into a report! AI in drone technology is already been used. I do think that the use of AI to analyse visual data such as photographs and thermal imagery will increase.

AI can make your business processes, data capture, research and reporting far more efficient. Saving time = saving money. This in turn can make you more competitive.

The applications are endless, but it will save time and allow you as a surveyor to focus on what you do best (and enjoy), surveying!

I could talk endlessly about AI, but I think that's enough for today. I have only just scratched the surface. I haven't even mentioned to the use of AI in property valuation or the housing market, an area where it is already been used and will have a notable impact. I'm always on the lookout for AI informed articles in surveying so please let me know if you can recommend any.

Back to social media

Before I go, here are more social media content tips for surveyors.?My first edition of this newsletter had 10 social media tips, you can read them here

1. Share interesting facts and trivia related to the history of the properties you've worked on or the local area.
2. Highlight the benefits of using a building surveyor, such as saving money in the long run by identifying potential issues and providing solutions.
3. Provide a "day in the life" of a surveyor, showcasing the work and responsibilities involved in the job.
4. Share case studies of successful projects, outlining the challenges faced and how they were overcome.
5. Use infographics to visually represent key information or statistics related to the surveying industry.
6. Share updates on local events or initiatives related to surveying, construction or the wider property industry.
7. Share interviews with industry experts or other professionals in related fields, providing insights and knowledge to your followers.
8. Provide resources for property owners, such as checklists for building maintenance or guides to selecting the right survey for their property.
9. Share fun and engaging content related to the industry, such as quizzes or polls. Amusing content could be "Strangest objects identified during a drone survey" or pet encounters (with a positive tone!)
10. Provide updates on any new technologies or tools e.g. drones, thermography etc. that you or your firm is using to provide better service to clients.

I hope you enjoyed reading this. If you would like to talk to me about social media services, digital marketing and of course AI, then please do get in touch. Email me at [email protected]. I'm interested in digital marketing, community and AI projects!

I'm also the founder of the student surveyor & valuation group on Facebook, you can join here

Disclaimer. This article was not written by ChatGPT ?? You are going to see a lot of these comments at the bottom of many articles including "Written by a human".

#ai #artificialintelligence #chatgpt #generativeai #surveying #rics #rpsa #cabe RICS Residential Property Surveyors Association (RPSA)