When 40 years of expertise meets AI: Say hello to Jeff

What happens when 40 years of knowledge and experience is uploaded to an AI programme to help solve damp and mould issues?

For decades, mould and building-related illness have quietly evolved into what experts now call a global health pandemic causing asthma, chronic fatigue, Alzheimer’s disease and inflammatory disorders linked to indoor bio-contamination. The World Health Organization has warned that misdiagnosis of environmental illness could become “the great masquerade of the 21st century”, costing billions worldwide.

The crisis has been amplified by unqualified operators and SEO-driven misinformation – everything from unverified mould training courses to unsafe decontamination products and false health claims. What’s needed is an independent, authoritative source offering evidence-based advice that bridges medical, environmental and building science.

How can I help?

With this in mind, Building Forensics, an investigative firm that carries out building hazard assessments and provides advice, has launched JeffCharlton.AI. It is an AI platform designed to deliver expert, science-based advice on mould, bacteria and bio-contamination in homes and buildings, but with one difference: its source material.

For more than 40 years, Jeff Charlton has been involved in global disaster recovery, specialising in flooding, water damage and contingency planning, including CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear). He is well respected for his knowledge of toxic substances and pathogens and for his work in public health and decontamination. He is a Chartered Institute of Environmental Health qualified professional and a leading UK mould expert with international experience.

Charlton’s work includes writing decontamination protocols for the US Army Corps of Engineers, co-authoring the global consensus document Surviving Mold and serving on the SCHEER technical committee in Switzerland for emergency response to chemical and biological incidents. He has also taken the unusual step to consolidate his vast knowledge into a single intelligent automated system.

Yes, you read that correctly – Charlton has uploaded his own knowledge to AI so it can operate on his behalf. It does beg the question of whether the system can truly operate in the place of a professional (and raises further queries about what his professional responsibility is to clients using a system that is no more than machine learning without the benefit of critical thinking). For these reasons, the platform also draws on more than 179,000 document uploads and 31 million words of verified research and case experience, as well as decades of peer-reviewed science covering mould and bacterial contamination, water and fire damage recovery, building-related illness and chronic inflammatory response syndrome, and indoor environmental diagnostics and decontamination protocols.

The AI provides instant answers to written or spoken questions, reflecting Charlton’s own no-nonsense style, and is backed by proven field data and international standards. He says: “People are being misled every day by search engine results and marketing claims. [This] changes that – it puts decades of real science, field data and professional experience directly into the public’s hands.”

While this AI is in its infancy, those using the system would do well to also consult professionals. However, it is a bold step. Could this be the future for all specialist professionals – uploading their wisdom and experience to AI?

JeffCharlton.AI is available here.

Image credit | iStock