Visions of What Could Be: Claudiu Bulai of Quantarium

{{Twenty-Seventh in the Real People as Entrepreneurs series}}

The lexicon of business continues to generate portmanteaus at breakneck speed; for Claudiu Bulai of Quantarium, the one that is top of mind is “PropTech”- the combination of Property (Real Estate) and Technology.? As the Chief Innovation Officer for a leading AI player focused on PropTech, Bulai has a vast vision of what could be and relishes the opportunity to talk shop.

In his mind, the innovation opportunities in PropTech are endless; he adds that the industry is expecting these innovations and so it is the only responsible thing to do to provide them.? These innovations- in AI and Computer Vision, at once answer pending industry questions and simultaneously resolve dilemmas- like the persistent biases in the housing market.? Even basic questions-- like “what is the value of this house?’ – can require imagination and the latest in computational technologies to answer.? That is Bulai’s métier.

He speaks glowingly of the team at Quantarium focused on the opportunities and vexing problems alike.? Coming from a large technology stalwart like Meta (formerly Facebook) and now working alongside a small but dedicated team, Bulai celebrates each team member and understands the role each plays in both success and possibly failure.? In that sense, Bulai while a technologist is more of a people-promoter than most people who have achieved the lofty professional heights he has.?

Though PropTech is his focus, he is expansive when talking about the liberatory aspects of AI but also the possibility of what he calls “Sci-Fi" Scenarios” playing out.? These philosophical emanations cut through and clarify- we are in a world must be understood and planned for carefully with many voices adding to the chorus.? Still for the most part, Bulai is a technology-positivist who is animated by the art of the possible.

When he’s away from his computer, he revels in the company of loved ones and loves to take out his mountain bike and explore the green Pacific Northwest.? He can be found, also, doing hard-scraping projects in this yard, no doubt thinking of new Computer Vision applications as he digs away.