As awareness of artificial intelligence (AI) grows, and it becomes increasingly embedded in the workplace, some clients are asking a direct question: ‘can I opt out?’
Under the new RICS standard Responsible use of artificial intelligence in surveying practice (effective since March), members and regulated firms that apply AI in a material way must tell clients in advance when the technology will be used, how its use can be challenged, what rectifications exist and whether opting out is possible.
The result is not necessarily resistance, rather a drilling down to where AI adds value, where it introduces risk and how professional judgement remains in charge. But the same applies to surveyors who don’t use AI. “Clients will not let surveyors opt out or they will not work with surveyors who decide not to use AI,” says Chris de Gruben FRICS, senior director and head of AI in property at Artefact. “In the same way you wouldn't work with a surveyor today who says I don't want to use Excel or PowerPoint.
This has pushed client dialogue from abstract interest in innovation to practical questions about consent, control and trust. “AI is evolving quickly, and even its developers acknowledge it is not yet fully transparent,” says Charlie Batten, COO for UK lines of business at CBRE. “That uncertainty can make individuals and organisations cautious, which we understand and respect.”
“From a professional perspective, if you don't use AI, you'll be left so far behind and be uncompetitive, [meaning] clients will not want to work with you.”
But as a YouGov poll shows that 72% of Britons would not trust AI to act on their behalf without approval, what are the reasons clients opt out of the tech, and what can be done to reassure them?
Q: Why would clients want to opt out of AI use?
Reasons vary. Worries abound about where data will be used and stored, and who has access to it. “What we are hearing clearly is that their data must not be used to train AI models or for any purposes beyond delivering the services they’ve engaged us to provide,” says Batten.
Other reasons include AI transcription software being used to record meetings, which makes some clients nervous. They may want reassurance on where conversations end up being stored and how will they be used.
Some clients simply consider themselves too old to get to grips with the technology. “The older generation are often pleased to be at the other end of the spectrum where they’re on the verge of retiring and feel it doesn’t really impact them,” says Nella Pang MRICS, MD of Omega RE. But they are still part of the business, adds Pang, and the next generation coming in needs to learn how AI is being used in that company.
Q. What are helpful reassurances to clients’ worries?
Transparency is the key word to allay concerns. “In the RICS standards, we make it very clear you must always declare if you are using AI and how you are using it,” says de Gruben, who adds that a register of all the risks must be available: “We do this because you need to have transparency.”
For CBRE, the data protection clauses embedded in its contracts are “robust and continue to guide how we use technology,” says Batten. “Our approach is fully aligned with the new RICS standards, giving clients confidence that their data is protected.”
“If you don't use AI, you'll be left so far behind and be uncompetitive, meaning clients will not want to work with you.” Chris de Gruben FRICS, Artefact
Q. How can the industry learn together?
Ultimately, says Batten, if a client were to opt out of AI, those at CBRE would like to have “an open and transparent conversation, as often that dialogue helps demonstrate how AI can deliver better outcomes while respecting their requirements.”
Having that talk is also valuable for CBRE, says Batten as clients may raise perspectives not yet considered, “which helps us continue to refine how we apply this technology responsibly.”
AI’s rapid advancement means everyone is learning as it develops, says Batten: “We don’t have all the answers, but we are committed to working closely with clients to navigate this landscape together.”
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