The RICS sets global standards on the use of AI for real estate professionals
As a testament to its leadership in data and AI for the built environment, Artefact co-chaired the writing and publishing of the 1st global edition of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) AI Standards. These standards, applicable to all 150,000 chartered surveyors from the 9th of March 2026, are believed to be the first published by any national property trade body and will serve as a template for future guidance on responsible AI deployment.
Why are the Standards Required?
Artificial intelligence is no longer a future consideration for the surveying profession; it is already here. From document analysis and data extraction to valuation support, risk modelling and project controls, AI systems are increasingly embedded in day-to-day practice. As co-chair of the RICS working group that developed the Responsible use of artificial intelligence in surveying practice, Artefact has seen first-hand both the opportunities AI presents and the risks that arise when it is adopted without appropriate professional safeguards.
This new global professional standard is not intended to slow innovation or discourage the use of AI. Quite the opposite. It is designed to support confident, responsible adoption by setting clear baseline expectations for competence, governance and accountability, while reinforcing the central role of professional judgement. It is carefully designed to support firms at all stages of maturity with practical guidance.
AI introduces new professional risks alongside familiar ones. Without clear standards, inconsistent practice risks undermining client trust and the reputation of the profession. This standard provides a shared framework that protects clients, supports surveyors and ensures innovation develops on a sound ethical and professional footing. It is hoped that the standards will encourage firms to embark on the AI journey, attract ‘AI Native’ young talent and propel the industry forward.
Surveyors and regulated firms should begin preparing now. Identify where AI is already used, assess whether those uses materially affect service delivery, and align governance, training and documentation with the standard ahead of March 2026. Responsible use of AI is not about restraint; it is about leadership. This standard gives the profession the tools to adopt AI with confidence, clarity and integrity. In Artefact’s anecdotal evidence of similar
Who the standard is for
The standard applies to all RICS members and RICS-regulated firms who use AI systems where the outputs have a material impact on the delivery of surveying services. In practice, that will include the vast majority of firms using AI-enabled software, whether developed internally or procured from third-party vendors.
Importantly, this is a conduct standard, not a technical manual. It does not prescribe which tools to use or how to configure them. Instead, it focuses on how surveyors should behave when AI is used as part of professional service delivery, in line with the RICS Rules of Conduct.
What we set out to achieve
Throughout the drafting process, the working group was guided by a simple principle: AI should augment professional expertise, not obscure responsibility. The standard therefore concentrates on five key areas.
- AI Literacy Baseline. Surveyors using AI must understand, at a minimum, how these systems work, their limitations, common failure modes, bias risks and data implications. In addition to this it sets clear requirements around disclosure of the use of AI to clients along with its limitations and potential risks.
- Strengthening Practice Management. Firms are expected to put proportionate governance in place, including policies, system oversight and an AI risk register, recognising that many AI risks can be identified and mitigated upfront. This should spur informed discussions within practices and more conscious decision making on the use and adoption of AI systems.
- Clear Expectations on Procurement and DD. In particular, where third-party AI tools are used. Surveyors must understand what they are buying and the risks they are accepting. This includes data sources, risks of hallucination, corporate bias risk,s and uses of data for training purposes.
- Need for Professional Judgement. It reinforces the need for professional judgement, scepticism, and transparency when relying on AI outputs. Decisions about reliability must be made, documented, and where appropriate, explained to clients. Full disclosure and informed discussions with clients of which AI systems are used, for what purpose, and what risks they may pose is a critical tenet of the standards and essential to foster trust and transparency.
- Expectations on Developing AI, where surveyors are directly involved in developing or adapting AI systems for in-house or commercial use, the standard sets additional expectations around data quality, stakeholder involvement, sustainability, and accountability.
Part of a wider ecosystem
The standards are part of a much wider ecosystem of AI initiatives within the RICS. The Institution is considering how the Assessments of Professional Competence should be adapted to remain relevant and encourage the use of AI, it’s running practical courses (both online and in person) about day-to-day uses of AI and is going to publish a series of practical guidance documents encouraging practitioners to adopt AI across their operations. This concerted push will hopefully provide a comprehensive toolkit for surveyors to start deploying AI with greater confidence. It includes both standards to ensure a minimum baseline of compliance, governance, disclosure, and ethical use as well as practical guidance documents to teach and support surveyors in pragmatic terms, encouraging the adoption of AI.
About Chris de Gruben, FRICS & Artefact
Artefact is a global, full-service Data and AI consultancy, offering comprehensive expertise across the entire AI lifecycle. Our services range from data strategy, AI governance, risk assessment, and compliance, to defining the “art of the possible” with advanced AI and ML solutions, through to implementation, change management, and adoption. Artefact leverages its deep expertise in both Property and Data & AI to help firms strategically and responsibly embed AI into their operations with confidence.
Chris is a Senior Director at the UK Artefact office, leading the property team and managing all UK property clients. He has been a Chartered Surveyor for the past 15 years and continues to strongly advocate for the responsible use of AI within the UK property profession. Chris also serves as the Vice-Chair of the Professional Group on Valuation, sits on various AI expert working groups, is a core trainer for the RICS Academy, in particular the ‘Global Harnessing AI & Data in the Built Environment’ (which has proven to be the most popular RICS course so far). Chris is currently busy writing practical guidance for the use of AI for Chartered Valuers. Finally, he is a regular speaker at PropTech and Real Estate conferences globally.
You can listen / watch the 250th episode of ‘own the build’, a property focused podcasts which discusses the standards in greater detail here.
Download a copy of the new standards here.
