Gustavo Zanotto is recognized as a leading figure in marketing and innovation within the real estate market. His influence was underscored by being nominated among the top 15 influencers in the Latin American proptech industry this year. With over two decades of industry expertise, Zanotto has worked with major developers such as PDG and Tecnisa. Currently serving as a consultant to companies, he leads the Proptalks podcast, serves on the advisory board of Progetti Construtora, and holds an academic position at the University of Miami, teaching Real Estate and E-Property Management.

The REsource editorial team recently engaged in a candid conversation with Zanotto about his career, Artificial Intelligence (AI), ChatGPT, Blockchain technology, essential skills for real estate professionals to remain relevant amidst transformative changes, and more. Check out the first part of the interview below!

For those familiar with Zanotto's profile in the real estate market, it might come as a surprise to learn that he was once a professional soccer player in the United States. It was his fellow club members in Des Moines, Iowa's capital city, who nudged him towards this sector.

"I entered the real estate market in 2020 after my venture into professional soccer. At that time, I was nearing the end of my sporting career, embracing the opportunity to explore another country and language. I was fortunate to be introduced to the American real estate market by fellow club members. I found it intriguing that the team trained part-time, and I inquired about their spare hours. Many were Latin Americans and told me they worked on a small building project, inviting me to visit the construction", recalls Zanotto. That was the beginning of his passion. "I was captivated by it (...). I returned to Brazil and began working for small construction firms in Campinas", he adds.

One of the construction companies was later acquired by a larger entity, which eventually became PDG, opening the doors for Zanotto in the industry. Subsequently, he gained experience at Tecnisa and Cyrela. In the following years, he decided to venture into a solo career, establishing a consulting firm in the field. "I began traveling across Brazil, assisting builders and developers in product launches and devising commercial marketing strategies."

Innovation, technology, and behavioral analysis are the three fundamental pillars Zanotto believes will shape the future of real estate: "It's the consumer's personal touch that will revolutionize the market. It's no longer just about companies; we must listen to the consumer before launching a product." Regarding the integration of Artificial Intelligence into corporate life and the "democratization" of its use through increasingly popular tools like ChatGPT, Zanotto contends that these innovations will not replace human work but will facilitate various daily tasks, enhancing overall productivity for individuals and businesses.

"Artificial Intelligence has been around for decades, and what has transpired is a greater promotion of these tools. Technology companies have long employed AI to ease consumer journeys and information retrieval. In the real estate sector, it does not replace human activity. This technology learns from humans and enhances the execution of actions that humans need to perform daily", he believes.

In the executive and industry expert's view, professionals who can provide contextual information and, most importantly, ask the right questions will stand out. "Artificial intelligence, on its own, does indeed have the ability to generate insights, but the more a human can provide information to it, the better the continuity and exploration of this technology will be. You need to provide context to the tool, explain why you want something, and guide it to deliver information based on market perceptions. For it to be precise and direct in results, humans need to enhance first."

Stay tuned for more... follow REsource and SiiLA media channels to catch the second part of the interview!