This week, the spotlight is decidedly on AI, particularly in the realm of multimodal models. Jitty.com is making waves with its transformative approach to navigating real estate marketplaces, offering a glimpse into the future of property search. Meanwhile, discussions on disruptive agents continue to gain traction in the Online Marketplaces podcast, exploring the potential of AI to upend traditional market players. Don’t overlook the insightful article on managing meeting dynamics, a tool that promises to keep discussions on track and productive.
Real Estate and Marketplaces
- UK startup Jitty raises 2M dollars to build AI-driven home search platform: UK startup Jitty has secured $2 million in a pre-seed funding round to develop an AI-driven home search platform. Founded by former Deliveroo employees Graham Paterson, James Storer, and Daniel Cooper, Jitty aims to improve the home buying process using AI technologies like large-language models and computer vision. The platform, already with over 2,000 waiting list users, seeks to offer a seamless user experience by addressing inefficiencies in the current property search market. Jitty plans to launch in the UK, with future expansions into Europe and beyond.
- Introducing the Jitty Price Guide: Your New Best Friend in the Property Market: Jitty has launched the innovative “Price Guide” feature, a UK-first tool designed to enhance transparency in the property market by using public data to compare property prices against local averages in a user-friendly format. This tool aids buyers in making informed decisions, especially in competitive markets like London. Coupled with the “Pre-Market” feature, Jitty empowers users to access exclusive listings before they hit major sites. Prioritizing data-driven insights without ads, Jitty revolutionizes home-buying with AI-powered resources and tools aimed at smarter, faster, and more confident purchasing.
- Revolutionising Roomscrolling With AI-Powered Image Search: Jitty, the UK’s first AI-driven property search engine, has introduced a revolutionary image search feature, transforming the way users search for homes. Instead of relying on standard filters or keywords, users can describe their ideal properties in natural language, and Jitty’s AI will find precise matches by interpreting images from listings. This tool allows users to search based on lifestyle preferences and property features, offering a personalized and intuitive experience. Dubbed the “Instagram for homes,” Jitty enriches the property browsing experience by enabling users to explore curated home collections and access valuable insights. The platform has gained over 75,000 users since its launch, providing a more informed and enjoyable home search journey. CEO Graham Paterson emphasizes the role of AI in refining the home-buying process, allowing for more accurate and efficient searches tailored to individual needs.
- Libeen Raises €25M for Its AI-Powered Smart Housing Model: Libeen has raised €25M to advance its AI-powered SmartHousing model, which allows tenants to build equity while renting, offering an alternative to traditional mortgages. The company plans to raise an additional €100M to acquire over 600 properties, expand across Spain’s major cities, and enhance its AI-driven property technology. This model enables renters to pay a 5% deposit and accumulate savings through monthly payments, facilitating an easier transition to homeownership. Libeen’s use of AI optimizes property selection and financial assessments, helping clients save on homebuying costs.
- Should Portals Be Terrified by AI Agentic Search? With Mal McCallion: The rise of AI-driven agentic search significantly challenges the traditional property portal model. Rather than relying on established filtering systems, AI offers personalized, comprehensive searches based on specific user criteria such as property features and lifestyle needs. This shift could render traditional aggregation tactics obsolete, as AI can leverage images, voice commands, and natural language to deliver tailored results. While these advancements may streamline searches, they threaten the high-profit margins of portals reliant on premium listings. Despite AI’s potential to transform real estate marketing and reduce agent dependency, the human element remains critical in transactions due to trust and expertise. As AI becomes more integrated, portals must innovate beyond price hikes to remain competitive in a fast-evolving landscape.
- PropertyGuru Lays Off 174 People as New Chairman Outlines “Refined” Ambitions: PropertyGuru is laying off 174 employees, over 10% of its workforce, as new executive chairman Trevor Mather announces a strategic shift for the company. This includes discontinuing Sendhelper, Data & Software Solutions, and PropertyGuru Finance, phasing out Corporate Development and Investor Relations, and re-organizing Technology, Marketing, Finance, and People & Culture teams. The company aims to focus on enhancing its core marketplaces in Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand to drive sustainable growth.
- UK Ministry Announces Project to Digitalise Property Data: The UK Ministry has announced a 12-week project to digitalise property data to expedite homebuying processes, streamline transactions, and reduce delays typically caused by paper-based documents. This initiative is part of Labour’s broader housing strategy, which includes planning reforms and building 1.5 million homes. The digitalisation aims to cut down the five-month average time from an accepted offer to move-in, help reduce failed transactions, and involve collaboration with HM Land Registry. Additionally, leasehold reforms are set for implementation, allowing leaseholders more say in their service charges and potentially saving significant legal costs.
AI
- SmolVLM2: Bringing Video Understanding to Every Device: SmolVLM2 by Hugging Face is a breakthrough in video understanding technology, offering efficient models that run on varying devices from phones to servers. The new release includes models of 256M, 500M, and 2.2B parameters, where the smaller models are the most memory-efficient ever. Despite their size, they outperform existing models in video tasks, exemplified by the 500M model achieving similar capabilities to the larger 2.2B model. SmolVLM2’s versatility allows fine-tuning using transformers, promoting wide application in video comprehension.
- OmniParser V2: Turning Any LLM Into a Computer Use Agent: OmniParser V2, developed by Microsoft Research, enhances the capability of large language models (LLMs) to function as GUI automation agents by transforming UI screenshots into interpretable elements, enabling accurate action predictions. This version improves detection accuracy for smaller elements and reduces inference time by 60% compared to its predecessor. OmniParser V2, combined with GPT-4o, achieves state-of-the-art accuracy in GUI grounding tasks. Additionally, the OmniTool platform allows for seamless integration with various LLMs to support GUI automation processes.
- Common Pitfalls When Building Generative AI Applications: In “Common Pitfalls When Building Generative AI Applications,” Chip Huyen outlines frequent errors developers encounter with generative AI technologies. The pitfalls include unnecessary use of AI, confusing product issues with AI shortcomings, overcomplicating from the start, overvaluing initial success, neglecting human evaluation in favor of automated systems, and indiscriminate crowdsourcing of application ideas. Huyen stresses the importance of strategic planning and balancing AI with product design to avoid these issues.
- GitHub Copilot Gets Agent Mode: GitHub has introduced new features for GitHub Copilot, enhancing its ability to streamline coding tasks through prediction and multi-file changes. Copilot’s new “Agent Mode” can automatically iterate on outputs and complete tasks not initially specified but required for the primary request. Copilot Edits allows developers to specify files for change using natural language, with a dual-model architecture underpinning its operation. GitHub also unveiled a new autonomous software engineering agent to automate various coding tasks and improve workflows.
- Deep Research Y El Valor Del Conocimiento: In “Deep Research Y El Valor Del Conocimiento,” Simón Muñoz discusses the limitations of AI research tools like Deep Research, which are confined by publicly accessible internet data. While these tools can produce reports quickly and efficiently, their insights lack novelty, prompting a shift in value to knowledge known by a select few. Companies are incentivized to conceal information, increasing demand for proprietary data and human creativity in drawing unique connections. Although Deep Research is valuable, its high subscription cost may not be justified for everyone. Future value will likely stem from exclusive data access and creative human insights.
- The Next 10 Years Will Be About the AI Agent Economy: The next decade will be defined by the emergence of the AI agent economy, particularly through marketplaces that revolutionize how small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) access services. As AI agents become more capable and easier to build, they will be integrated into platforms where they specialize and offer services at scale. This mirrors earlier shifts in software with horizontal platforms and vertical specializations. AI marketplaces allow SMBs to access affordable, sophisticated services traditionally beyond their reach, fostering innovation and growth. The success of businesses like Enso demonstrates the potential of AI agents, offering numerous microservices that continuously learn and adapt, providing significant advantages at low costs. As the adoption of AI agents increases, the marketplace model will dominate, positioning these networks as pivotal in the business landscape.
- Three Fallacies: Alondra Nelson’s Remarks at the Elysée Palace on the Occasion of the AI Action Summit: At the 2025 Paris AI Action Summit, Alondra Nelson addressed three misconceptions about AI: its purpose, the need for trade-offs, and the inevitability of its benefits. She argued that AI’s purpose should be to serve humanity, not just drive efficiency and scale. She also rejected the notion that safety and progress are mutually exclusive, advocating for thoughtful governance to foster innovation. Lastly, Nelson emphasized that AI’s benefits must be actively nurtured through leadership and human-centered innovation, with meaningful involvement from civil society and democracy-oriented approaches.
- Cuando Un Sistema De Valores Emerge en Un Gran Modelo De Inteligencia Artificial: Antonio Ortiz discusses the emergence of value systems in advanced AI models, challenging the notion that they passively reflect biases from training data. He highlights a study indicating that modern models like GPT-4 and Llama 3 exhibit coherent preferences, weighing outcomes systematically rather than randomly. Surprisingly, these AIs often exhibit left-leaning tendencies and prioritize certain nationalities and individuals over others. As AI develops into autonomous agents, understanding and managing their evolving moral frameworks becomes crucial, particularly considering their resistance to value modification.
- The Great Debate: Will Agentic AI Kill SaaS?: In “The Great Debate: Will Agentic AI Kill SaaS?” Chuck Whitten explores whether agentic AI, capable of automating tasks across systems, will disrupt or enhance traditional SaaS models. Reflecting on technological evolution, Whitten argues that innovation typically expands rather than replaces ecosystems, suggesting that SaaS and AI can coexist. While AI poses a challenge to SaaS by potentially replacing its core functions, it also offers opportunities for SaaS vendors to innovate by integrating AI’s strengths. Similarly, AI providers must overcome the challenge of gaining trust and specificity in workflows. The future likely involves hybrid solutions, with both SaaS and AI adapting and enriching the technological landscape.
- BBVA Permitirá Por Primera Vez en España Gestionar Cuentas Y Tarjetas Con IA a Través De Su Asistente Virtual: BBVA has updated its virtual assistant, Blue, within its app, marking the first time in Spain that customers can manage accounts and cards using AI. Launching on February 20, 2025, Blue will offer personalized interactions via natural language processing, enhancing the digital banking experience. The AI-driven tool can handle up to 150 queries and provide answers to 3,000+ questions, improving customer experience with context-aware, empathetic, and precise responses. It features digression handling and operates within BBVA’s banking domain to meet all legal and reputational standards. Moreover, BBVA has introduced an AI-based assistant for over 100 managers to streamline operations and enhance service delivery, bolstered by a resourceful database of more than 30,000 product and service references.
Management
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The Art of Calling Out Room Dynamics: In “The Art of Calling Out Room Dynamics,” Csaba Okrona discusses how to manage ineffective, often tense meetings by actively acknowledging the room’s dynamics. Through naming present emotions and tensions, such as frustration or unproductive arguments, one can disrupt negative patterns and foster a collaborative atmosphere. Okrona emphasizes key techniques like using a calm tone, posing questions, and acknowledging shared experiences to create psychological safety and refocus on goals. While effective, these strategies should be employed thoughtfully to avoid pitfalls like misinterpretation or disrupting productive flow. This approach is not only valuable in formal meetings but also beneficial for personal interactions and team growth. Ultimately, Okrona encourages practicing this skill to become a proactive leader who enhances communication and collaboration in any situation.
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Problemas: In “Problemas,” cesargarcia.com discusses the rapid pace of modern life fueled by technology such as AI, emphasizing that speed alone doesn’t equate to progress. The author argues the importance of accurately defining the problem before focusing on fast execution. While AI excels at implementing solutions, identifying the correct problem remains a distinctly human task. Citing Aesop’s fable “The Thirsty Crow,” the text illustrates the virtue of methodical problem-solving. It advises taking a step back to analyze root causes, ask better questions, and approach problems from new angles for more effective solutions.