How AI Can Assist Restoration and Claims

by JOANNE HART, Manning Claims Services

Here is an excellent example of how AI (Artificial Intelligence – buzz word that is all around us these days) can be used as the ultimate diagnostic partner, turning repair firms into forensic analysts. In writing this article I realized that I was able to not only show an example of how we can use AI to assist us but also, I am able to share how my AI experience could shed some light on the cause of a furniture issue that may have baffled many adjusters and repair firms.  

To understand the power of AI, look at a common but frustrating scenario: light-colored leather furniture arriving at a destination with dark, unexplained spots after potentially being exposed to heat and humidity during a move. Traditionally, this might be thought to be surface mold or transit-related staining resulting in very concerned shippers. By leveraging AI and asking a chain of questions, we discovered a far more specific cause: a chemical reaction between leather tannins and trace metals (like copper or brass), commonly known as “verdigris.”

The part that I find so helpful with AI is the conversation style of research. I pose a simple question, receive a short response from Chat GBT and typically the answer leads me to think of additional questions to clarify the topic further. 

Here is the original question that I asked:

What may cause the green-blue spots that appear under the surface of white leather furniture after exposure to heat or humidity?

The detailed answer listed some possible causes one was mold but that would be more of a surface issue with powdery blotches on the leather and the other was Verdigris.  I knew the spots we observed were not on the surface like a typical mold spore issue so I asked…

Further explain verdigris and why it would be so prevalent with white leather

Verdigris is a specific type of chemical corrosion—a bluish-green patina that forms when copper-based metals are exposed to acids and oxygen. 

…The "Organometallic" Result: This creates green accretions called organometallic salts. Unlike simple rust, these salts are somewhat mobile and can "wick" through leather fibers when heated.

White leather is uniquely susceptible to this phenomenon for several technical and aesthetic reasons:

·         "Wet White" Tanning Process: To achieve a pure white color, leather is often "wet white" tanned using synthetic tannins (aldehydes) instead of chromium. These synthetic agents can leave the leather slightly more acidic, which aggressively accelerates the corrosion of trace copper and brass.

Are there trace copper and brass metals that leather can be exposed to in the tanning process?

Yes, trace amounts of copper and brass can be introduced to leather throughout the tanning and manufacturing process. These microscopic contaminants often lie dormant until exposure to heat or humidity triggers their migration to the surface….

The fun part is that I notice that I get smarter as the conversation continues…

On white leather, these trace contaminants are particularly problematic because the synthetic tannins often used in the "wet white" process are highly acidic, which makes the leather more reactive to any trace copper or brass present. 

Finally, I asked, and the response is a continuation of the original issue:

What are the synthetic tannins?

Part of the answer was the following:

Synthetic tannins, or syntans, are man-made chemical compounds used to transform raw hides into leather. The reason these synthetic tannins are linked to your blue-green spots is due to their pH and reactivity:

High Acidity: White leather tanned with synthetic tannins often has a lower (more acidic) pH than chrome-tanned leather.

The Reaction: This acidity is what triggers the corrosion of any trace copper or brass in the furniture. The acid "eats" the metal, creating copper salts (verdigris).

Heat Sensitivity:  Synthetic tanned leather is generally more sensitive to heat than chrome-tanned leather. Exposure to heat can cause the leather to trigger the migration of these deep-seated chemical products to the surface.

I could go on with AI about various solutions for treating these blue green spots that have migrated up from the underside of the white leather but those solutions can be very risky, corrosive to the leather and challenging to perform.  In addition, if the chemical reaction has permanently dyed the fibers, cleaning and treating may not be enough and re-dying may be the only solution. 

Ultimately thanks to a short conversation with AI a valid explanation may be presented to the adjuster to help them clarify the cause of the discoloration and the conclusion may be that the cause is not from transit related staining or miss handling.  Inherent vice and climatic coverage… that may be a whole new article worth of material.