Image courtesy Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC)
Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) announced it launched an AI Resource Guide. The artificial intelligence technology guide for the construction community includes definitions and construction use cases and considerations. The guide is intended to provide knowledge to contractors so they can be active participants in the construction AI conversation.
“ABC helps members realize the potential of AI, which helps contractors complete projects on time, minimize staffing challenges, save money, and improve health and safety,” says Matt Abeles, ABC vice-president of construction technology and innovation. “The construction industry is faced with a steep worker shortage of more than half a million in 2024, and promising technologies like AI can help address this challenge. As younger workers become industry leaders, we must approach AI in construction as beneficial with a balanced view that includes continuous evaluation, developing ethical guidelines, and increasing awareness about what AI can and cannot do.”
Patrick Scarpati, director of construction technology and innovation at ABC, authored the guide. “The possibilities of AI technology may sound endless, but we must first educate ourselves on the basics, and this resource is a starting point to understand AI and its potential impact on the construction industry,” he says. “The industry has immense opportunities to evaluate how we can better deliver projects, and we can lean on AI in achieving essential goals like upskilling, workforce development, knowledge transfer, supply chain optimization, enhanced safety design and planning, and much more.”
The guide describes uses of AI during the construction project lifecycle, including preconstruction, construction, and building maintenance. It also provides definitions of terms, such as deep learning and predictive AI, as well as best practices in drafting office AI policies.
ABC creates the conditions for construction companies to innovate, differentiate, and attract and educate their top talent, ultimately to win and deliver that work safely, ethically, and profitably for the betterment of the communities in which they work.
