RICS Says AI Literacy Isn't Optional

RICS Says AI Literacy Isn't Optional

Author: Maryrose Lyons July 14, 2026 Duration: 30:20

Most of the AI conversation is a numbers game: licences bought, people "using AI", whether the firm has a strategy yet. James Garner thinks that is the wrong number to watch. The money is flowing and the strategies are written, but the thing almost no one is funding is capability — whether ordinary professionals can actually use the tools well. That gap, he argues, is widening, and it is where the real risk now sits.


James is Head of AI at Gleeds, a Fellow of RICS, and co-founder of the Project Flux podcast. He has been a quantity surveyor since 1998, a profession he jokes you could pull someone into from 1890, give a day's training, and they would manage fine today — which is exactly what makes this moment different. He sat on the RICS working group behind its new responsible-AI standard, in force since March, which for the first time makes baseline AI literacy a requirement for every chartered surveyor, not a nice-to-have.


James walks Maryrose through why an "AI strategy" that is not a business strategy powered by AI will fail, the difference between transparency and explainability (and why he prefers "bookending" to "human in the loop"), the model-cost reckoning coming for anyone on a flat monthly plan, and the eight Claude files every professional should set up to get real value from Claude Code. Along the way, the habit that keeps him ahead: half an hour, every Friday, to do nothing but experiment.


A practical, clear-eyed and genuinely useful conversation about closing the gap between owning AI and actually using it, before it widens any further.


James Linkdln


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Maryrose Lyons brings her experience from the AI Institute to Chatting GPT, a podcast that digs into the practical realities of artificial intelligence. Instead of theoretical discussions, these are grounded conversations with the directors, founders, and strategists who are implementing AI solutions right now. You’ll hear from people who have moved their organizations beyond pilot projects into genuine transformation, sharing what worked, what didn’t, and why. The focus often lands on the built environment-exploring how AI is actively reshaping design processes, construction methodologies, and facility management from the studio to the job site. This series is built on the premise that the most valuable lessons come from those with hands-on experience. Each episode unpacks the human decisions behind the technology, offering tangible insights for professionals in technology, business, and education who are navigating their own courses. By listening to this podcast, you gain access to a rare dialogue about applied intelligence, where the conversation is always rooted in real-world execution and impact.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 49

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