RICS: keeping pace with AI technology

The news is full of stories about artificial intelligence, with coverage veering between dismissive suggestions that it is a passing trend to more alarming predictions about where the technology leads. The reality is, like the world wide web before it, that people will use new technology for what suits them — many for good purposes, others not.

Surveyor Local has reported on this technology before, since AI is being increasingly used in the world of chartered surveying. It is an immensely useful tool when it comes to identifying problems with the structural integrity and condition of a property, where even a trained and experienced surveyor might miss something. It can quickly flag potential causes for concern in text and photographs that would take the human eye far longer to identify, giving the surveyor more to work with during their assessment.

The use of AI should not proliferate unchecked, and it should not replace human judgment; rather, it is one of an armoury of tools at a surveyor's disposal. This is why the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has implemented its first-ever standard on responsible AI use, to which its members must now work.

The standard sets out requirements across four areas: governance and risk management, professional judgment and oversight, transparency and client communication, and responsible AI development.

One of the key challenges in managing AI responsibly is how fast the technology moves. RICS has recognised this as the biggest issue — over and above data quality, compliance or legal liability, important though each of those are.

At a session in London in December 2025, Paul Beeston FRICS, head of Industry and Service Insight at Rider Levett Bucknall, identified three distinct dimensions to the pace of change challenge:

• Technology itself is changing so rapidly that firms struggle to adapt their processes to keep up.
• Staff enthusiasm for AI adoption is outpacing the governance procedures needed before new tools are introduced.
• Conflicting attitudes among clients — some keen, some opposed — creates a tension for chartered surveyors to manage.

Beeston commented on what the future looks like for the surveying community:

"AI will change the skills of the future Chartered Surveyor.

"We will increasingly need skills like critical and creative thinking alongside empathy.

AI is not just a technology change but requires us all to evolve our skills."

As a customer of a chartered surveyor, you can reasonably expect them to use technology and processes that improve how problems are identified and how survey reports are produced. The important thing is that RICS is actively shaping how that happens — providing clear structure, guidance and standards to which each of its members is rigorously held.

This is why choosing a chartered surveyor with full RICS credentials matters. You want the confidence that they are working to recognised best practice, which translates into a quality report at the end of the process.

Surveyor Local connects you with professional advice through our nationwide panel of chartered surveyors, all of whom are members of RICS.

Call to get your no-obligation survey quote started, or use our easy-to-use quote generator for an instant figure.