Is AI your next FM employee?

The world of facilities management is about to change in a big way! You would have seen in the news that Microsoft has recently announced it will invest USD $10 billion in OpenAI, a company dedicated to developing artificial intelligence. This shows that AI is going to be a driving force within in organizations, and will be critical tool to boosting employee productivity, driving business agility, and improving customer experiences in digital applications

OpenAI is a research laboratory founded by tech-giants like Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet. The company is dedicated to researching and developing artificial intelligence (AI) technology. Microsoft's recent $10 billion investment in OpenAI will be used to develop new AI capabilities that can completely transform the way companies use the Microsoft’s Business Tools.

Image the impact this type of capability would be in those hands of frontline workers in Facilities Management.

A recent tweet from Andrej Karpathy the Director of AI at Tesla tweeted “80% of the code I write today is written by GitHub Copilot”.?This is one of the world’s elite AI developers that is saying they are more productive by leveraging AI applications like GitHub.?Now just image the impact this type of capability would be in those hands of frontline workers in Facilities Management.

The advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities in CAFM Systems is no longer a question of "if" but "when." Facilities Management companies are already beginning to understand the vast potential that AI has to offer. This technology can be used to automate processes, freeing up staff time and enabling them to focus on more important tasks. Additionally, AI-enabled Facilities Management Systems can help streamline mundane and repetitive tasks, allowing staff members to be more productive and reduce operational costs.

CAFM, or Computer Aided Facilities Management, is the term for technology designed to help users manage the various assets, tools and processes that affect business continuity. CAFM software was developed to streamline facilities management and maintenance, driving greater efficiency, boosting business performance and generally making life easier for FMs, employees and wider building users.

AI in Facilities Management will be a major game-changer

AI in FM will be a major game-changer and we will certainly witness a revolutionary change in productivity curve as well as quality of services and reporting. Throughout the industries, frontline works in FM with AI support will be enabled to undertake tasks that were considered to be knowledge work prior. This breakthrough in technology will allow employees to focus their efforts on more complex tasks, while AI takes care of the mundane ones. Additionally, AI in FM will provide greater operational efficiency, allowing FM companies to better manage their resources.????

Benefits of AI for Facilities Management

The benefits of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for facilities management are clear, and the possibilities for its application are vast. AI can help with data analysis and reporting, saving valuable time and resources and giving managers up-to-date information faster than ever before. It can also be used to create bespoke dashboards with customized visuals, helping to inform decisions quickly and accurately.?For example:

Project Reports

• Report building assets with multiple failures over defined period.
• Report monthly average tasks complete by each technician. ?
• Report building assets that could be close to critical failure
• Report building occupancy levels.
• Report how many technicians and type are required to maintain this building working 5 days a week.

Dashboards

• Build a Dashboard showing KPI performance for Project X for January
• Build a Dashboard showing energy consumption by m2
• Build a Dashboard showing the real time position of Technicians

Communication

• Contact all customers for "Building A" that the water will be off due to municipality works.
• Contact client and ask for feedback when requested task has been finished (Report NPS Score)
• Contact Client and Company Management if Emergency Task is Logged

Onsite

• Search and find Operational Manual for "Chiller A"
• Confirm part number for AC Compressor
• Confirm part availability in company warehouse
• Contact and find nearest supplier for replacement part
• Place Purchase Order for part and confirm delivery time
• Show video how to remove this part step-by-step

Predictions of AI for Facilities Management

The applications of AI for facilities management are endless. More and more companies will race to embrace the use of AI, as it offers an efficient and cost-effective way to streamline processes and improve accuracy. AI can help identify potential issues before they become major problems and can be used to automate mundane tasks. It can also provide valuable insights into how a building is being used and how it may need to be modified over time. As AI continues to advance, we can expect its use in facilities management to grow significantly in the upcoming years.

AI can be instrumental in helping Property and Facilities Managers make informed decisions. By leveraging data-driven insights, AI can help make predictions about resources needed, potential issues that may arise, or changes that could be made for improved efficiency. It can also provide predictive analytics about resource optimization, energy performance, occupancy tracking, and maintenance scheduling. This will enable managers to make decisions in a timely manner with confidence.

The potential of AI for facilities management is undeniable. It is an invaluable tool for increasing productivity and creating a better working environment for staff. With the implementation of AI capabilities into CAFM & ERP systems, this technology has the potential to revolutionize the way we manage our clients assets.