As the world becomes increasingly digitised, artificial intelligence and machine learning are changing the way businesses operate, and social housing is no exception. AI has the potential to revolutionise the social housing sector by streamlining processes, improving tenant experiences, and increasing overall efficiency. Florian Hoven, the founder of KeyNest, dives deeper into this fascinating topic
Before delving further, let’s start with the basics: What exactly is ChatGPT?
Perhaps you’ve heard of it before, but aren’t entirely sure what it entails. ChatGPT is an advanced chatbot that is part of the large language model developed by OpenAI, a company that specialises in artificial intelligence.
This conversational tool is designed to interact with users naturally, making it accessible to people from all backgrounds. ChatGPT is capable of impressive feats such as composing music, conducting research and even crafting resumes. It has free and premium versions available.
What are the 2023 limitations of AI tools?
However, like many things in life, ChatGPT has its limitations, which you may have experienced firsthand.
For one, accessing the free ChatGPT account during peak traffic periods can be challenging (once the tool is at its capacity, you are put in the “waiting room” and not able to access it). Additionally, this AI tool is restricted to data predating 2021, meaning it may provide outdated information.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the ways AI, and specifically, Chat GPT can potentially increase efficiencies in the social housing sector.
It’s important to mention that as exciting as language models are, they are still at the very beginning of their development journey. They may make mistakes and errors if you were to use them for these improvements in your housing association as of today.
But – and that’s a big but – AI learns extremely quickly. Just look at the difference between 2 versions of ChatGPT available right now:
It means that, with the speed of improvements, we can probably expect AI tools like ChatGPT to become helpful within the next year.
How is ChatGPT already helping companies in 2023?
Several companies have successfully integrated ChatGPT into their operations, leading to increased efficiency and productivity. Here are a few examples:
- Mastercard: Mastercard has implemented a virtual assistant powered by ChatGPT to assist its customers in resolving their queries. The chatbot can handle a wide range of queries, including transaction disputes, balance inquiries, and card activation. The virtual assistant has reduced the time taken to resolve queries, leading to faster turnaround times and improved customer satisfaction
- DBS Bank, one of the largest banks in Southeast Asia, has implemented a virtual assistant powered by ChatGPT to improve its customer service operations. The chatbot can handle a range of queries, from account balance inquiries to transaction disputes. The bank has reported a 40% reduction in the time taken to resolve customer queries since the implementation of the virtual assistant
- Lloyds Banking Group: Lloyds Banking Group has integrated ChatGPT into their operations to enhance its fraud detection capabilities. The tool is used to analyze customer data and detect potentially fraudulent activity. The use of ChatGPT has enabled the bank to identify potential fraud cases earlier, leading to faster resolution times and improved security for their customers
Improving tenant communication
One of the most significant challenges faced by housing associations is communicating effectively with tenants. Many housing associations receive a high volume of calls from tenants, which can be time-consuming and costly to manage.
AI-powered chatbots can provide a quick and easy way for tenants to access information and ask questions. Chatbots can be integrated with websites, mobile apps, and social media platforms to provide tenants with access to information and assistance 24/7.
Chat GPT, in particular, is a language model that can be used to generate natural language responses to tenant queries. It is trained on a large corpus of text data, which enables it to provide accurate responses to a wide range of questions.
Chat GPT can be used to create virtual assistants that can guide tenants through the application process, provide information on rental agreements, and answer any questions they may have.
Reducing costs
AI has the potential to significantly reduce costs for housing associations. Chat GPT can be used to automate repetitive tasks such as answering tenant queries, processing applications, and scheduling appointments. This can free up staff to focus on more complex tasks, such as managing tenant relationships and dealing with maintenance issues.
Chat GPT can also be used to analyse data and identify patterns that can help housing associations make more informed decisions. For example, it can be used to analyse tenant feedback and identify common complaints or issues at scale. This information can then be used to improve services and reduce the number of complaints.
Improving maintenance management
Maintenance is an essential part of social housing management, but it can be time-consuming and costly. AI-powered systems can help housing associations to manage maintenance more efficiently. Chat GPT can be used to create virtual assistants that can guide tenants through reporting maintenance issues and provide updates on repair progress.
AI-powered sensors can also be used to detect maintenance issues before they become serious. For example, sensors can be installed in buildings to detect leaks, humidity levels, and temperature changes. This information can be used to identify issues before they become serious and to schedule maintenance tasks more efficiently.
Enhancing security
Security is a critical issue in social housing, and AI can help to enhance it. Chat GPT can be used to create virtual assistants that can guide tenants through the process of reporting security incidents, such as break-ins or thefts. AI-powered systems can also be used to monitor security cameras and detect suspicious behaviour. AI can also be used to detect fraud and prevent unauthorised access to housing association systems.
For example, it can be used to analyse tenant data and identify unusual patterns of behaviour. This information can then be used to prevent fraud and protect housing association systems from unauthorised access.
Housing Digital stakeholder KeyNest is a provider of a secure and cost-effective way to grant access to your void properties to contractors and service providers.
The staff can store keys in KeyNest Points so that contractors, maintenance staff or surveyors can later collect them. These locations are usually newsagents, cafés and taxi offices, and automated lockers outside petrol stations, supermarkets and retail parks. There is currently a KeyNest Store within a seven-minute walk of 90% of UK postcodes.
Main image: SomYuZu/Shutterstock
Read next: Why small housing associations stand to reap the rewards of AI
Are you a social housing professional? Sign up for a FREE MEMBERSHIP to upload news stories, post job vacancies, and connect with colleagues on our secure social feed.
