So, ChatGPT is taking over the social media airwaves. I hadn’t planned to write about AI, but a proptech client meeting last week spurred me into action and thinking about whether businesses, including built environment firms, are ready to grasp the opportunity.

Listen to my podcast about ChatGPT

My client is proptech start-up so his team includes developers who are used to testing and using new technology. It is what they do as a business, and they use tech as part of their development process. He mentioned that many parts of this team had been using ChatGPT and were blown away by it and he demoed it on a marketing task I’d been set, and I have to say I was impressed.

The response it gave was a pretty good starting point that I could then build out and add personality, nuance and context to. And yes, it would save me a lot of time compared to starting from scratch. It is a game-changer and isn’t the only AI tool that is revolutionising what we do.

Marketing ChatGPT and AI

Many people are talking about ChatGPT, how it's a threat and how it won't replace them. And I think this is the equivalent of burying their head in the sand. If you are a basic copywriter who doesn’t really specialise or add real value then yes, your role will be under threat. Because these AI tools will be able to deliver decent-level responses quickly and at little to no cost. They’ll do.

However, there will be an opportunity for people who are real specialists and an opportunity for those who can really add value, streamline processes or really create something that's truly creative.

AI, machine learning and the built environment

Currently, I'm working with proptech start-ups that are using AI and machine learning to develop tools and platforms for the built environment, and it is fascinating. These tools are continually learning and can do so many jobs that once were not possible or would take a long time to deliver well, and now they can be done at the touch of a button. As society faces ever increasingly complex problems such as climate change and the race to decarbonise our planet, AI and machine learning will have an even bigger role to play in the built environment. It’s a really exciting space to be working with firms to see how these tools are developing on the ground and becoming more and more valuable.

Gearing up for the fourth industrial revolution

The world of work is going to change forever. When I worked for an ed-tech firm I worked with many educational professionals who talked a lot about the Fourth industrial revolution and how school and the education system are no longer fit for purpose. We’re still lined up to sit down in-front of a teacher in rows standing in front of a whiteboard. And in many things, the things we value – neat handwriting, spelling, learning facts in rote fashion will largely end up being redundant.

And then it made me think about what will happen to my son, he’s seven now but in the future, where is he going to be? What sort of roles will there be for him? What types of roles are going to be open to him? And yes, many of them don’t exist yet which is mind-blowing.

And it also made me think about school, is it even geared up for the changes on the horizon, let alone business. Rote learning, reciting facts, and the way they learn right now are unchanged from what was created during Victorian times. Schools are clearly spooked by AI and machine learning. And the fact that you can just put in a question and the response that comes out of ChatGPT is not a bad response. Okay, you might not know the sources. It might not have any nuance. Some of it might be a bit bland, but as a starting point, you know what, it does a pretty good job.

The AI and ChatGPT opportunity

To me, there are many opportunities for AI in both marketing and the built environment. The opportunities will derive from people understanding how to harness them and where they can augment or supplement business operations. Companies that invest in learning and are open to reengineering what they do to identify where they add value as humans and where machines can take the strain are the ones that can win out.

Oh and the first draft of this post was written via a transcription tool Otter.ai. I dictated my thoughts into my phone on a walk and it transcribed it for me to then edit. See - AI is everywhere and so, so handy.

I’m Ayo Abbas and I’m a marketing consultant who specialises in working with firms in the built environment. I deliver marketing strategy, content creation and campaigns on a range of pressing industry issues feel free to contact me to see how I can help you. You can also sign up to my email list so you never miss the content I publish - click here to be added.