18 Cornerstone Spring 2025 agchouston.org includes project planning, risk assess- ment, supply chain coordination and people management, to name a few. AI and ML are enabling efficiencies and data-driven decision-making across the entire system, helping firms reduce costs, improve accuracy, streamline oper- ations and enhance safety. Smarter Data Management While steel, concrete and wood are sta- ples of the industry, “we all know that construction generates a lot of paper- work and piles of data sets,” Constructor Cat host Leah Poconus noted on a recent episode of the AGC podcast. Sorting, analyzing and making sense of all that data — from contracts, project specifications, jobsite reports and more — can take hundreds of human hours. These are just a few examples of how AI is helping cut through the noise and making construction data more manage- able and accessible. ] Information synthesis. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT can quickly synthesize information, summarize documents and identify main points and key elements. It’s then easy to ask questions and interact with any data you’ve fed into the tool. ] Pattern and trend identification. AI is good at identifying patterns and trends in data, such as customer feed- back, faster and with more accuracy than manual methods. ] Reporting. Extract key information, including risk factors from project data, to streamline the reporting process. ] Data analytics. AI platforms can quickly analyze large data sets and generate insights. This is useful for things like submittals, where AI can sort through hundreds of pages of data and process it accurately, reduc- ing human error and allowing project teams to focus on quality control rather than data entry. ] Complex language. AI can stream- line the contract review process by scanning lengthy legal documents, identifying high-risk clauses and flag- ging key terms that require attention. This reduces the time and effort spent manually reviewing contracts, allowing project teams to focus on risk manage- ment and negotiation. Safer Sites and Practices In addition to streamlining the mounds of data construction companies need to process with each project, AI programs and tools can help make sites and work- ers safer. ] Proactive maintenance and repair. Unexpected equipment failures can lead to downtime and lost resources. Using AI, sensors can alert teams to maintenance needs before a machine fails. ] Quality control. AI-powered com- puter vision and ML detect material defects early, improving work quality, reducing rework costs and ensuring projects meet industry standards. ] On-site safety. ML algorithms and on-site sensors can catch safety risks before falls or accidents happen, keep- ing workers safe, reducing downtime and helping with compliance issues. ] Risk evaluation. AI can use past data and current project parameters to evaluate risks on projects and predict trouble areas. More Efficient Practices The construction industry is evolving rapidly, and it can be hard to keep up with the demands, regulations and work- load. AI and ML can be deployed to help companies keep up with growing demands and stay competitive in the market. ] Streamlining processes. AI stream- lines decision-making and provides real-time process improvements, opti- mizes workflows and enhances overall project efficiency. ] Supply chain optimization. AI programs can predict supply chain New Tools Of the Trade There are a number of tools and platforms designed specifically to assist construction teams with everything from contract management and submittal creation to building logistics and more. ] Document Crunch. An AI document compliance platform built by con- struction industry professionals for the construction industry. ] Doxel. An automated progress-track- ing solution that uses AI to scan sites and assess progress and quality, offering project managers real-time insights and notice of potential issues. ] PlanSwift. AI-powered software construction takeoff and estimating software that streamlines the process of accurately quantifying materials and labor for construction projects. ] Buildots. Uses computer vision and AI to automate progress tracking on construction sites. ] Autodesk AutoSpecs. An AI-pow- ered construction solution platform designed to aid in creating detailed and accurate draft submittal logs. ] ALICE Technologies. Construction scheduling platform that uses AI to optimize timelines and resources. ] DroneDeploy. AI-powered drones automate site mapping, 3D model- ing and object detection, providing real-time project insights for better decision-making and efficiency.
