Many of the articles I have read indicate that AI will enhance and help appraisers complete more accurate reports. I have had appraisal instructors telling their audiences that technology will be replacing us. That was 15-20 years ago. They may have been correct, but the obviously thought the end was coming sooner than later.
Yep, Craigs List and EBay helped local newspapers all over the world get rid of the need for classified adds and their once reliable revenue stream. Our local newspaper will likely be no longer in circulation 5 years from now.
Yep, with the internet, we no longer need the yellow pages to find a local business and it's contact info.
Yep, email replaced letter writing so that the mailperson only delivers junk mail which will likely be delivered as junk email soon. Oh wait, it already is.
Yep, Advancements in hydraulics helped us build roads, dig deeper trenches and the like, eliminating the need for ditch diggers and other laborers.
Yep, every time a Walmart plans and announces and new store in a new locale, it always tells the local vendors and small retailers that the new superstore will actually help their smaller businesses rather than hurt them.
If AI can replace what we do, then so be it. Nothing lasts forever. That being said, I can't see how anyone could stay in business years from now just for the few oddball jobs that AI can't figure out (farmettes, farms, any rural property, waterfront, earth-homes and other unusual properties).
My beef is with the leadership telling us that AI will enhance or help us complete reports. I kind of see how we are modern day ditch diggers of information. Much of that same info can be mined by AI. AI is like that new large backhoe digging a long trench faster than I can with a shovel.
The one problem with AI, is that it may not be able to discern a market level sale from a one that sells below market, and why it sold below market (estate settling comes to mind and is rather common). Also, there are a few sales which sell above market level due to undisclosed points paid by the seller, but not disclosed in the MLS profile, or an additional vacant lot was included with the improved lot which was also not discussed in the MLS profile.
Perhaps AI will help us, but the jury for me is still deliberating. If AI can replace what we do, I won't waste any energy fighting it since I am 59 and close to retirement.
Now, if you will excuse me, I have to look up local dairies in the yellow pages of my 15 year old phone book to see if they still deliver.
