The use of artificial intelligence (AI) to edit real estate pictures is being addressed in Belgium with the recent approval of new professional guidelines.
VRT NWS reports that earlier this month, Belgium approved an ethical code of conduct for estate agents addressing the use of AI in the sector.
The code of conduct will outline three main principles, namely that estate agents are responsible for the consequences of their use of AI, that the AI-editing must be critically assessed, and that it must be transparent, according to the Flemish outlet.
The decision came amid reports of an international rise in 'housefishing'. The term, which is a play on the word catfishing, refers to the practice of using AI to improve the appearance of the exterior or interior of a home. This can include, among other things, fixing cracks, removing chimneys, replacing lawns, adding furniture, or changing the colour of walls.
According to VRT NWS, the trend is currently less widespread in Belgium than in other European countries. Nonetheless, the Flemish outlet identified several cases in which AI was used to enhance homes in Belgium on real estate websites.
Several estate agents reported that AI is being used to help future home buyers visualise the potential of a property.
However, some future buyers have noted that the practice could be problematic if AI is overused or not used transparently, as it could mislead some people, particularly those who have a harder time recognising AI content.
“For people of a certain age, it’s difficult to make that distinction,” a future home buyer told VRT NWS. “And then you invest so much time in phoning and following things up, only to end up disappointed.”
While the impact of the new code of conduct remains to be seen, future buyers who feel they have been misled by AI-edited properties can already report the situation to the Ministry of Economy via the online platform ConsumerConnect.
