Let me first speak on behalf of my company. Baker has an outstanding reputation in the construction industry. As a national company, we are committed to staying humble, serving our clients, and delivering the best concrete construction possible. Our primary goal is to collaborate, share knowledge, and, most importantly, listen and learn from others.

By understanding what others are doing, we can bring those insights back into our organization to optimize and leverage best practices. Equally important, we believe in giving back and helping to elevate the industry as a whole. In a low-margin business like ours, where we operate as a specialty subcontractor, using resources wisely is critical. When we work together and share both our successes and failures, the entire industry benefits.

I come from outside the construction industry, having spent my career in oil and gas energy, where sharing knowledge is second nature. I hope to bring that same spirit of collaboration and community to this space. Learning, growing, and ultimately having a great time with peers and colleagues as we advance technology in the industry.

There are four key areas we are keenly focused on: safety, schedule, quality, and productivity. We have a platform that uses facial recognition for timekeeping, and we have also leveraged its functionality for crew scheduling. Additionally, it will serve as our central tool for quantity reporting.

Right now, we are setting the foundation for an AI-based solution that will evolve with the data we collect. This includes tracking time, crew schedules, productivity, material quantities, equipment usage, and labor hours. Eventually, AI will help analyze this data to provide insights such as, “If you had adjusted this approach, you could have gained X percent efficiency,” or “If you scheduled this crew differently, the job could be completed faster.”

We are not at that stage yet. Our focus is on building a solid data foundation with all functionalities in one solution. When the time is right, we will introduce AI to make the system more predictive and preventative, improving scheduling and crew efficiency. It is about laying the groundwork while ensuring we move at a sustainable pace that does not break the piggy bank.

The biggest priority was understanding the processes they use. Technology organizations can sometimes become too corporate and centralized instead of getting on the ground to see how projects actually operate.

As a national company with 400 projects running at a time, it can be difficult to grasp how everyone works. Mapping out what people are doing was crucial. From pre-construction to execution, we examined their processes, how they administer work, and how they support the people executing it.

We categorized and documented these business processes to identify where our time and resources would have the greatest impact. For example, we analyzed how much time is spent on crew scheduling and safety event reporting. Then, we explored AI tools and technology solutions that could optimize these processes—making them faster, more efficient, and more valuable not only for Baker but also for our customers and owners.

Our technology team works closely with the revenue-generating side of the business to ideate and implement solutions. Once operations teams understand the digital innovations available, they start engaging with trade publications and customers, bringing new ideas to us.

We’ve explored AI applications for legal contracts, ChatGPT for work packaging creation, and cybersecurity measures to keep our foundation secure. Our focus remains on enhancing safety, scheduling, quality, and productivity.

From Baker’s perspective, what key first steps would you recommend for companies just starting their AI journey? And do these principles apply beyond the construction sector?

At first, it takes baby steps to teach your people how to use tools like ChatGPT and understand their potential. Someone once asked me to describe large language models, and I said they are like a librarian, an assistant, and a mathematician all rolled into one.

The first step is removing the fear factor. There are misconceptions about AI being scary or dangerous, but letting people experiment helps them see its value. Once they start using it, their minds naturally explore possibilities, and then we can guide how to integrate it into daily operations.

We identified key roles that could benefit, like PEs, project managers, and our legal team, and introduced AI where it made business sense. It is all about baby steps. I spoke with someone who has a five-year AI strategy. I wish I was that visionary. I do not even have a two-year roadmap for my own family, much less for AI.

The goal is simply to get minds turning. Once people see the possibilities, they understand how it can help them. The most important thing is to listen to your team, to operations, and to corporate functions, and help them along the way. Overcoming the initial hesitation is key, but AI is going to create amazing solutions for business success.