AI: A somewhat scary (but handy) tool for real estate and design professionals

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Published Date 9/18/2023

When the movie AI came out more than 20 years ago little did we know those two letters would become buzzwords in our daily lives, generating so much controversy that literally hundreds of industries would be affected.
While artificial intelligence can’t replace the human brain, it can definitely provide tools to make work easier, as is pointed out by Realtor Magazine’s Leandra Beabout — including offering workflow assistance in the world of home design. Experts offer insights on how AI is streamlining their workflows and expanding their creative potential.
“Generative AI is the term for any artificial intelligence that can come up with new text or images in response to human prompts,” says Beabout. She uses the example of text-based generative ChatGPT, which is an app that can write for you using existing data available online.
Designers, however, look to AI more for images than text. “Imagine coming up with a cool theme for a bedroom or a fun concept for a new type of sofa,” says Beabout. If you can describe it in words, a generative tool can create an image. For interior designers, she points out that it’s like having a talented robo-artist available at all times.
Beabout uses the example of an app named Midjourney. This is a program in which a designer can simply type in what they’re thinking and the machine does all the work, pulling in all the information that could have taken you hours to hunt down on the internet. It can quickly create custom, unique images that you own and can use anywhere.
Beabout tells the story of one such journey. ”I was recently given the opportunity to collaborate with Midjourney's artificial intelligence bot to design the world's first AI sink, named AILA," explains digital marketer Leslie Carothers. A luxury kitchen and bath product brand had emailed Carothers asking her to design a sink with AI and then create it in the real world. Thrilled with the idea, she got to work. Designing the sink and getting the green light for production by Thompson's copper artisans took less than two weeks. Now in production, the copper sink will eventually be unveiled in February 2024 at the National Kitchen and Bath Show in Las Vegas.
"I predict these types of collaborations will become the new normal once manufacturers see and understand how fast Midjourney makes the product ideation process," says Carothers. "I also predict that any manufacturer who offers custom capabilities like Thompson does will have many more designers and retailers wanting to use Midjourney to create and then offer bespoke products to their clients and customers on their own websites."
While AI still looks like a wild frontier for real estate professionals —a creative sandbox more than a reliable trade tool — it is quickly going mainstream. It's almost inevitable that AI-assisted designs will become more prevalent in interiors and architecture in the next decade. "I predict AI will be used by almost everyone as part of their home design conceptualization process," says Carothers.
Still, AI is a tool designed to be used by professionals, not replace them. It may be great for quickly showcasing ideas, but it can’t design in a vacuum. And while AI can generate a blueprint, Carothers reminds us that it cannot build the product or room or home or cover practicalities like material durability or HVAC.
"AI cannot deliver on the most important factor for most consumers who want a well-designed home: the human connection to make sure that all the issues that come up in the execution process are resolved in as stress-free a manner as possible," says Carothers.
Beabout includes identifying some AI tools for real estate professionals, including Epique AI — an app that can help you quickly generate new realtor biographies for your website, real estate newsletter copy, inspirational quotes for your Instagram page, and more.
Then there’s Virtual Staging AI that provides attractive staging for listings, automatically adding furniture and decor to your uploaded photos of empty rooms.
Another is RealityNinja AI Listing Description Generator, which accelerates the process of writing listing descriptions. It can create multiple description options after you input a property's basic information (such as square footage, location, and key features).
While we can end this with saying “Big Brother is watching,” take heart. Without humans, none of this would be possible.
RealtorMag, TBWS

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