Winterbothams joins the AI conversation

July, 2026

Surveying Superyachts is a hands-on discipline and relies on having a keen eye, attention to detail, curiosity and a level of thoroughness that leaves no stone unturned. So when the question arose “Can this job be done by AI?” our initial response was a resounding no. The very reason clients hire us is for our professional judgement and expert opinion, one of the key issues being if it is not directly from us, where does liability lie?

That said, AI is advancing rapidly across the marine industry, and ignoring it entirely would be shortsighted. We have been looking at where it could effectively be used in Superyacht Surveying. For now, as a company we have decided that AI can be used
for:

  • Research
  • Drafting nonbinding text
  • Document organisation
  • Image enhancement (nondiagnostic)

Every use of AI use is subject to risk assessment, human review and final approval by a qualified surveyor.

This technology is evolving fast, it’s entirely possible that AI will become a useful tool going forward. But for now, you can rest assured when you book a survey, you’ll still be greeted by one of the surveyors you know and trust, arriving in person to inspect your vessel with the same diligence and expertise Winterbothams is known for.