With artificial intelligence (AI), the future has arrived, and it’s reshaping facilities management.
From predictive maintenance to workflow automation, AI can help facility managers work smarter and more efficiently. But the adoption landscape is chaotic, fragmented and rapidly evolving. As Matt Faupel, senior property manager and facilities management expert, puts it, “It’s a lot like the Wild West.”
That sense of chaos stems from tool overload, uneven adoption across the industry and a lack of shared standards. Some facility managers are fully embracing AI and seeing results. Others are cautiously experimenting. Many are still taking a wait-and-see approach.
Faupel observes that larger firms are implementing tools like Microsoft Copilot, whereas smaller businesses aren’t using AI at all, despite their employees’ own AI use on personal devices. Some early adopters are partnering with AI startups, trying to automate solutions and get their knowledge and information standardized.
He maintains that for a facilities manager seeking to use AI, the first step is understanding that this Wild West is full of opportunity. The key is to start with small, practical actions that provide immediate value. Here’s how.
AI shines in repetitive or time-consuming tasks. For FM teams, that often means communication. AI can help you automate maintenance reminders, tenant communications or internal updates with a few well-crafted prompts.
“AI platforms allow us to put in a prompt that helps us brainstorm ideas. It’s very customizable. You can say, ‘I have a tenant that enjoys X, Y, Z,’ or ‘I have a team of this many people caring for a facility that is this many square feet,’” Faupel says. “All that used to require extensive manual research is now at your fingertips.”
Faupel clarifies that today’s AI tools are designed to support drafting, analysis and decision-making, not replace human judgment. Outputs still require careful review, and strong data guardrails are essential. Hallucinations, or confidently presented inaccuracies, remain a known issue with many systems, reinforcing the need for oversight and verification in any AI-assisted workflow.
PRACTICAL TIP: Draft standard templates (e.g., maintenance notices or emergency action plans) in AI tools like Microsoft Co-Pilot or ChatGPT. Then, customize as needed. It’s a low-risk way to start using AI while building a foundation for more advanced applications.
AI’s power comes from data. Predictive maintenance is a prime example. By analyzing historical and real-time sensor data, AI can anticipate equipment failures, schedule maintenance and reduce downtime. But it only works if data is organized and accessible.
Faupel suggests using AI to clean up and standardize files, manuals and standard operating procedures (SOPs). AI, he says, can help categorize these documents and flag inconsistencies.
“The best way to get familiar and start using AI is by building those SOPs and emergency preparedness manuals,” he says. “You can use AI to help you through those, reviewing your emergency action plans and identifying missing scenarios. As you clean up and organize your files, you’re building a strong foundation for future AI applications.”
AI’s effectiveness is only as strong as the data behind it, Faupel cautions. While tools can accelerate analysis, surface patterns and help organize information, they can’t fix incomplete, outdated or inaccurate inputs on their own. Human oversight remains critical to ensure documents are current, assumptions are sound and recommendations align with real-world conditions.
PRACTICAL TIP: Pick one system, such as HVAC or lighting, and create a clean, labeled dataset. Then, experiment with AI tools to predict maintenance needs or optimize schedules.
Some managers worry that AI will replace their jobs. But Bill Griffith, president of Cleaning Consultant Services Inc., shares a different perspective.
“If you aren’t using Copilot, Gemini or ChatGPT, then you are out of date already and you will be replaced,” he says. “The people who will be replaced are the ones who don’t use it. If you’re using AI, you won’t be replaced; you will grow along with it.”
He advises facility managers to view AI as a personal assistant or mentor that amplifies their capabilities. For example, Faupel uses a personal chatbot called “CRE Pro” to provide guidance similar to consulting an experienced executive. This chatbot can answer questions, provide suggestions and even help with budgeting and capital planning.
PRACTICAL TIP: Start using AI to research solutions, analyze data trends or draft reports. Track the time you save and the quality improvements to build a clear ROI case for your team.
AI is excellent for scenario planning and training. With it, managers can simulate emergencies, role-play responses and test continuity plans in a risk-free environment.
“You can review your emergency action plan and identify missing scenarios,” Faupel says. “It allows teams to think through situations they might not normally encounter.”
PRACTICAL TIP: Input your building’s emergency plan into an AI platform and ask it to generate “what-if” scenarios. Use the results as discussion points in team drills.
The AI landscape is fragmented, with platforms like Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini, Perplexity, Claude and others offering different capabilities. Faupel calls this the Wild West for a reason. There’s no single “correct” tool. For facilities managers, that means there’s a mix of opportunities and challenges.
The key, he says, is to explore tools that align with workflow instead of waiting for the perfect solution to emerge.
PRACTICAL TIP: Identify one high-value use case, pick a tool and start experimenting. Avoid paralysis by analysis. Early adoption is key, but so is iterating and learning as you go.
Successful AI adoption isn’t just about technology; it’s about people. Comfort levels with AI can vary, and team support is critical.
For this reason, successful AI adoption in facilities management also involves teaching people to use these tools. Faupel emphasizes that AI comfort levels can vary widely across a team. Some technicians may be naturally tech-savvy, quickly experimenting with prompts and exploring new capabilities. Others may be skeptical or hesitant, especially if past technology rollouts were confusing or cumbersome.
He advises balancing guidance with autonomy. That involves giving team members clear instructions and boundaries for AI use, such as which data is safe to input or which tasks are appropriate for AI. It also entails letting them experiment and learn at their own pace. This approach mirrors the “challenge-and-support” model used in higher education: push people just enough to grow but provide enough support to prevent frustration.
Managers can create hands-on activities that explore AI use. Faupel shares that hands on training through short, scenario-based exercises where staff use AI to complete routine tasks, like drafting a maintenance report, summarizing a work order backlog or generating a tenant communication draft, help “build confidence and familiarity.”
Faupel also recommends highlighting immediate benefits, such as how AI saves time or reduces errors in everyday tasks. He points out that when employees see tangible advantages, such as using AI to quickly identify an HVAC part from a photo, they’re more likely to adopt the tool.
PRACTICAL TIP: Pair tech-savvy employees with those who are less comfortable with AI to share knowledge. Encourage experimentation while setting guardrails for data security and quality. Celebrate wins, even small ones, to build confidence and momentum.
The AI frontier presents many opportunities in facilities management. Teams that start small, clean their data, automate routine tasks, experiment with predictive analytics and foster a culture of AI readiness will lead the pack. Those who wait will risk being left behind.
“AI is the new baseline,” Faupel says. “It amplifies and enhances facility operations when it’s used. The market will showcase what sticks and what doesn’t. It’s an exciting time to see all these things happening.”
Ronnie Wendt is a freelance writer based in Minocqua, Wisconsin.
