Integrating artificial intelligence: The OACIQ's vision

Artificial intelligence (AI) is gradually becoming part of our lives, and the real estate sector is certainly no exception.

The use of this technology within an organization like the OACIQ offers tremendous opportunities to improve our operational efficiency and unleash our employees’ full potential.

When we modernized the Info OACIQ Information Centre, our information agents got directly involved in developing the AI tools and managing the changes necessary to use them. We firmly believe that the integration of AI facilitates the work of our staff by providing them with more effective support and tools. By automating repetitive processes, our aim is to have more time to devote to value-added activities, such as managing human relationships in complex situations. This reinforces our educational role in society and our primary mission of protecting the public.

Ethical and deontological issues

These new systems do raise ethical and deontological issues relating to data confidentiality and security, transparency of decision-making processes, and legal compliance. For these reasons, we felt it important to become a signatory of the Voluntary Code of Conduct on Artificial Intelligence, an action aligned with our values of Leadership, Competence, Integrity, Accountability and Collaboration.

While we chose to approach AI with open-mindedness, discipline and curiosity, the ethical and deontological aspects were at the heart of our thought process in 2022 when we began our shift towards AI and automation.

As the first Canadian real estate regulator to use artificial intelligence in its operations, we first made sure that the use of AI was in line with our mission to protect the public, and that it was done safely and responsibly.

Oversight and risk management

We must always proceed with caution, and sound risk management is one of our priorities. Therefore, before embarking on the project to implement an AI system, we began by learning about best practices from experts. This enabled us to confirm that we had identified the right issues, that our legal team had the right risk management reflexes, and that we were ready to move forward.

To ensure secure and consistent governance of projects, an artificial intelligence implementation plan involving management was also set up.

Drawing inspiration from the complexity and thoroughness required in the purchase or sale of a property, we opted to create a conversational agent assisted by artificial intelligence. To ensure rigorous oversight, our virtual agent Élise was programmed so that all its responses would be based solely on the Organization’s legislative and regulatory documentation, rather than on diverse online sources. This allows for instant, 24/7 assistance to the public and to current and future real estate brokers. As a result, not only is the overall experience enhanced, but the real estate literacy of users is heightened, reinforcing public protection.

Transition and support

To support our employees in this transition, we developed a code of conduct for them. For a few months now, we have also been training our professionals in the use of artificial intelligence systems. This means that when an employee uses an AI system, he or she undertakes to do so transparently, ethically, responsibly, and in keeping with the Organization’s values.

In addition, we have provided agency executive officers and real estate brokers with a guide to current best practices in the use of AI. This is not an additional oversight by the OACIQ, but rather a tool to enable licensees to reap the benefits of technology, while emphasizing the importance of proper risk management and ethical behaviour in this new technological environment.

These ethical and deontological principles ensure that technologies such as AI are used in a way that protects the basic rights of individuals, including when it comes to privacy and personal data.

It is by acting with integrity, transparency and accountability in all our AI-related initiatives that we will build trust and promote informed and forward-thinking adoption of this technology.

Nadine Lindsay

President and CEO of the OACIQ