Fexa CEO Predicts 10x Productivity Leap with AI for Facilities Management

Rising costs, a shrinking labor force, and the pressure to do more with less are pushing traditional workflows to their limits. For facility managers on the front lines, this means being trapped in a reactive cycle of problem-solving, with little time for strategic planning. In response, artificial intelligence offers a path to eliminate the friction that bogs down teams, improve spend efficiency, and free up people to focus on high-value work.

That’s the future Kurt Smith envisions as CEO of Fexa, a facilities management software company. Drawing on senior roles at McKinsey and as an Operating Principal at Accel-KKR, he describes his approach as “pattern-matching” proven AI applications from other industries to solve the specific problems faced by facilities teams. For Smith, AI is not just another tool, but a revolutionary shift in the world of facilities management.

"AI is a fundamental paradigm shift for facilities management," Smith says. "The productivity and efficiency of the industry is going to 10x in the next five years." Already, AI is fundamentally changing expectations for speed and simplicity in enterprise software. "It's as significant as the move from the personal computer to the internet, and then to cloud and mobile," he adds.

For Smith, the goal is to move toward conversational systems that feel more natural and intuitive. The immediate promise of this technology is its ability to automate the redundant tasks that bog down facility teams, he explains. In practice, that means moving away from the kind of rigid, form-based workflows that have long characterized facilities management.

• Forms are finished: “Forms are dead," Smith confirms. "AI is replacing them with seamless, chat- and voice-based experiences." As a result, delivering tangible ROI is a top priority, especially as the industry closely watches financial impact. By catching duplicate work orders before they result in a wasted truck roll, for instance, or ensuring a technician has the correct information for a first-time fix, AI addresses the "busy work" that consumes most facility teams.

But removing administrative friction is just the beginning for Smith. Ultimately, his vision extends to a more ambitious future powered by a predictive facility agent. This type of AI agent could unite an organization's disparate data streams, from building management systems (BMS) to historical repair data. As a result, empowered teams can ask bigger, more strategic questions about how to improve their entire portfolio.

• Reality renaissance: Meanwhile, as physical spaces become core brand experiences again, the pressure on facility managers intensifies. "We're seeing a 'retail renaissance' where physical locations are being turned into media assets for brands," Smith explains. "This is raising the stakes. If we don't embrace AI, we won't be able to catch up. It's the secret weapon we need." With operational headwinds like rising costs and a skilled labor gap, waiting to form an AI strategy is no longer a viable option.

Ultimately, Smith frames this challenge as an opportunity for empowerment. AI will elevate, not eliminate, the human worker, he says. Instead, the goal is to automate tedious administrative work, allowing teams to reallocate their time to the strategic thinking their organizations desperately need. "I don't believe AI will lead to mass job destruction," he says. "The best analogy is the ATM. People were afraid it would displace bank tellers, but instead, it freed them to perform more strategic and valuable aspects of banking. We're going to see the same thing here, and we don't even know yet what new jobs will be created to manage this new world."

The industry has officially crossed the threshold into a new reality, Smith concludes. In a world where legacy tools are no longer viable, operators must seek out the partners and platforms built to navigate it. But for all the talk of AI-native technology, his vision is rooted in a core principle: a conviction that people are the most vital engine of innovation. "The most important asset in a software business is its people—full stop. It’s not the IP of the code or the brand. What matters is the pace of innovation that comes from talent and passion. My job is to harness that. We have the best raw material, and if we don't make the best finished product, that's on me."