What if artificial intelligence could tell us exactly what to build, and where, in our cities?

In this episode of The Intersection, host Chanae L. Wood sits down with Olivia Ramos, CEO of DeepBlocks, to explore how AI is transforming urban development and zoning in Miami.

Olivia shares how DeepBlocks uses AI to analyze city data, detect underutilized parcels, and generate insights for developers, helping unlock investment opportunities while creating more equitable access to resources. She offers a behind-the-scenes look at how technology is reshaping what gets built, who can build it, and how cities will grow in the future.

Youtube Video For Episode 4: https://youtu.be/96cS_EZ62cg

HOST:

Chanae L. Wood, Esq. on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chanae-l-wood-4a61ab57

GUESTS:

Olivia Ramos - CEO, DeepBlocks

Bringing her expertise in architecture, real estate development, and advanced technology. At Singularity University in Silicon Valley, Olivia synthesized her diverse background to create DeepBlocks, merging architecture, development, and AI to transform urban planning and zoning analysis.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliviaramosai/

Daniela Cimo - Associate, Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman

Bringing her legal, land and zoning background expertise to address how AI-driven development intersects with law, regulation, and community impact.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielafcimo/

DeepBlocks

An AI-powered urban development platform that analyzes city data, identifies underutilized parcels, and generates insights for developers.

EPISODE 4 BREAKDOWN:

[00:00:15] - [00:02:00] Introduction/AI, Zoning, and Understanding DeepBlocks. Host Chanae L. Wood Presents host from DeepBlocks and answers question: Happening in Miami - "Robot cities, AI zoning—sounds like sci-fi, but it's not? Take a deep dive into artificial intelligence to decode zoning—one.

[00:02:00] - [00:05:03] Olivia's Journey and the Challenge of Digitizing Zoning. Olivia traces her unconventional path from architecture student to urban tech innovator.

[00:05:03] - [00:08:30] Zoning as a Developer's Hurdle: How DeepBlocks Removes Barriers to Building and Democratizes Opportunity.

[00:08:30] - [00:35:04] Ethics, Bias, and the Future of AI-Driven Urban Development. Chanae and Olivia tackle critical concerns about AI in urban planning, discussing how bias can be embedded in algorithms and why human judgment remains essential.

[00:35:04] - [00:38:30] Closing Thoughts: AI, Authenticity, and Finding Balance in the Modern World. In the closing segment, Chanae reflects on the double-edged nature of AI—acknowledging both its incredible potential to automate monotonous work and free humans for creative tasks.

Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman

2800 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Suite 1200 Coral Gables, FL 33134

website: https://www.wsh-law.com/

SPONSOR:

A Crafty Chick Miami! The company that's “Bringing floral dreams to life in the heart of Miami."

Visit their instagram page at: @acraftychickmiami