Conversations With a Robot About Real Estate

Let’s be honest — AI is becoming a real player in the workday, and it’s doing more than just writing emails or summarizing meetings. It’s starting to contribute meaningfully to actual decision-making.

Case in point: the following all happened in about 20 minutes… while I was stuck in a traffic jam.

The Setup

I’ve got this building to sell. It’s interesting, sure — but also tricky. I’ll spare you the gritty details, because that’s not really the point.

The core question was:

“Where’s the value in this property — and how can it generate income?”

A coffee shop or fish BBQ joint? Maybe. But the margins are tight, the logistics are a headache, and honestly, it felt like a fast track to burnout.

A boutique hotel? Possible, but the location isn’t exactly prime.

So there I was, in gridlock, and I thought: Let’s see what the robot says. I pitched the problem to ChatGPT.

What It Came Back With

The AI didn’t just think about the building. It reframed the entire concept:

You’re not just buying real estate — you’re buying an asset with a story.

A story you can brand, package, and monetize.

Its suggestion? Launch a gourmet tinned fish product rooted in the property’s heritage. I know — wild. But then it backed it up:

Long shelf life

Strong margins

Viral growth on TikTok

Government support for artisanal exports

Otaru’s reputation for premium seafood

Tourists can’t bring fresh fish home — but tinned? Perfect.

It even came up with a brand identity, logo design, packaging style, and a pretty solid investor pitch… all while I was inching down the highway in traffic

.

No, it didn’t go out and launch the business for me (still waiting on that dividend). But the fact that an AI could understand the issue, generate an original idea, and outline a practical plan — in under half an hour — blew my mind.

Welcome to the new era of real estate problem-solving.