Thank you to Mohammad Hasin Akhtar for appearing on our podcast series, "How AI is working, or not working, in the real world", and sharing his experience.
Mohammad is a real estate expert with two decades of experience in the GCC region, currently Deputy General Manager at Mohsin Haider Darwish, a leading business conglomerate in the Sultanate of Oman.
Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/3iFp9L5Ni6A
You can find Mohammad on LinkedIn.
How a real estate expert uses AI for research and writing
Mohammad Hasin Akhtar has spent more than two decades working in real estate across the GCC. Although he does not describe himself as a technology specialist, AI has become a useful part of his professional toolkit, helping him research topics, improve his writing and prepare presentations more efficiently.
Meet Mohammad
Mohammad is Deputy General Manager at Mohsin Haider Darwish, a leading business conglomerate in the Sultanate of Oman.
He considers himself a traditional business professional rather than an AI expert. He was initially uncertain about the technology but began experimenting with it around a year ago. Since then, his confidence has grown through practical, everyday use.
Using AI for research and writing
Mohammad primarily uses AI for two activities: research and writing.
His work requires him to keep up with articles, current affairs and developments affecting the real estate and services sectors. AI helps him understand unfamiliar subjects quickly by gathering information and producing concise summaries, rather than requiring him to search through numerous articles or books.
He also uses AI to improve written content and support the preparation of presentations. His current tool of choice is DeepSeek, which he finds convenient and sufficient for his present needs.
For now, Mohammad uses AI personally rather than as part of a company-wide system. However, he would consider proposing wider business adoption once he has greater confidence in how it could support the organisation.
Saving time without trusting every answer
AI has significantly reduced the time Mohammad spends researching and writing. It can quickly summarise a topic that might otherwise require extensive reading and help him produce higher-quality written work.
However, he stresses that the output must always be checked. He has encountered incorrect information, including errors involving currencies and how figures were presented. He estimates that his results are accurate around 90% of the time, but he reviews the information before using it.
AI should be a helper, not a replacement.
For Mohammad, the value of AI comes from supporting people rather than replacing them. It can improve speed and quality, but people must remain responsible for checking the work and making decisions.
Mohammad's advice for adopting AI
- Start with small tasks. Use AI to address simple, recurring difficulties in your everyday professional work before attempting complex applications.
- Build confidence through experience. Experiment with the technology, assess the results and expand its use as you learn what works.
- Check every important output. AI can return inaccurate or misleading information, so do not rely on it without review.
- Treat AI as a tool. It should help employees work more effectively, rather than being viewed automatically as a replacement for people.
Where AI still falls short
One practical frustration Mohammad has experienced is downloading files created by AI tools. DeepSeek sometimes provides links to prepared documents that do not work, leaving him to copy the content manually and recreate the formatting elsewhere.
He is particularly interested in tools that can produce clear, concise presentations with less copying and pasting. He currently uses PowerPoint and Keynote but sees considerable potential for AI to simplify how presentations are created and communicated.
Is AI living up to the hype?
For Mohammad, the answer is yes. He describes himself as a mid-level user rather than an expert, but AI is already helping him save time and improve the quality of his research, writing and presentations.
His experience shows that businesses do not need to begin with complicated AI projects. Starting with practical daily tasks, checking the results and gradually building confidence can deliver immediate value.
Why this story matters
Mohammad represents the many experienced professionals who are adopting AI without having a technical background. He shows that using AI in real estate and other traditional industries can deliver practical benefits from day one, while reinforcing the importance of human judgement.
The most effective approach is neither to ignore AI nor depend on it completely. It is to use it as a capable assistant, start with manageable tasks and remain responsible for the final result.
You can watch the full conversation on YouTube and connect with Mohammad on LinkedIn.