The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) released a publication for understanding and leveraging AI in the built environment.

Gamechanger: A Facility Manager’s Guide to Building a Relationship with AI serves as a guide for facility management professionals. From predictive maintenance to optimizing energy efficiency, AI is rapidly reshaping the way FMs operate.

“With AI dominating much of today’s technological discussions, FMs must learn to harness its capabilities and applications,” said Dean Stanberry, past chair of IFMA’s Global Board of Directors and a member of IFMA’s AI in FM Working Group. “This guide serves as both a roadmap and a compass for facility managers. It offers step-by-step guidance on starting, scaling and sustaining AI initiatives. The insights shared are drawn from industry research, expert opinions and practical experiences, making it a valuable companion for any FM looking to stay ahead of the curve.”

Readers will discover clear and practical explanations of key AI concepts, such as machine learning and machine vision, as well as gain insights into how these technologies can effectively apply to real-world FM challenges.

The guide offers a step-by-step approach to successful AI deployment, with actionable advice on aligning AI strategies with business goals, managing organizational change, and ensuring data governance and infrastructure readiness. It is also

Crafted with the busy facility manager in mind, the guide is designed to be accessible, making AI a practical and achievable asset for any FM professional, and helping to improve efficiency, reduce costs and elevate the occupant experience.

“AI in FM brings many questions from the C-suite to rank-and-file employees, and rightly so,” said IFMA Global Chair Lynn Baez “’Gamechanger’ equips FMs to take the lead in answering those questions and turning those inherent challenges into opportunities to prepare their organizations and people to succeed.”

The guide is available in IFMA’s knowledge library.