Artificial intelligence (AI) has proven to be a hot topic at the 2024 NECA Show in San Diego — there’s no shortage of new products, technologies or educational sessions surrounding this topic. On Day 1 of the show yesterday, I attended a presentation by John Bone of ELECTRI International on “Navigating AI in Electrical Construction.” Today, I caught an interesting industry panel discussion on the “Practical Applications of AI.”
For this session, NECA enlisted the expertise of three subject matter experts: Joe Barnard, executive vice president and chief operating officer of ArchKey Solutions/Sachs Electric; Sean Lazarian, CFO of ESSCO; and Michael Oakes, an entrepreneur and founding partner of First Choice Electrical Solutions.
Sharing their experiences with AI-powered solutions engineered to revolutionize productivity, the group dove into how to protect your company from contract pitfalls and add efficiency in the real world. Highlighting the pros and cons of adopting AI tools into your company, the panelists also explained policy changes geared toward protecting your company’s proprietary information.
Kicking off the presentation, Lazarian explained the basics of AI in electrical construction and why writing a solid prompt is so important. Oakes was up next. He began with surveying the audience on what practical things they were using AI for on a daily basis. Answers ranged from writing reports and emails to analyzing data to human resources and hiring. Barnard rounded out the discussion by elaborating on common electrical applications for AI, including generative design; workflow, estimating, procurement, and project management; document analysis; and data gathering. He also went over some of the advantages of AI, including:
- Accuracy
- Machine learning
- Decision making
- Unbiased decisions
- Available 24/7/365
- Automates daily tasks increased efficiency and productivity
- Cost effective
- Personalization
He also emphasized the increasing need for AI assistance as it relates to the ongoing skilled labor shortage in the industry. “We don’t have enough resources, so the more things we can get our people to be more efficient to do more with less the better off we are,” said Barnard.
What’s next for this type of software? The sky’s the limit, but Barnard highlighted a few key areas he expects to see the greatest growth:
- Plans and specifications
- Documents incorporated by reference, not just the contract
- Litigation, discover platform?
- Comparing company contract reuiqrements against details of a contract
- Looking at ALL active contracts in an organization (pandemic … force majeure escalation)
- Automating the review checklist
EC&M has been covering AI and its potential impact on the electrical industry for years. Check out some of our most popular pieces on this subject: Rise of the Machines, AI Insights in the Electrical Construction Industry Podcast, The Ais Have It, and Is AI the Future of BIM?
