The back half of 2023 held many exciting announcements from solution providers as many of these organizations were finally able to unveil their strategies around generative AI technology. The big opportunity with this next generation of technology, as seen by these companies, is the integration of copilots into existing software platforms. The industry heard in particular from big players like Procore, Autodesk, and Trimble (among others) about how they were working quickly to introduce copilot functionalities into their platforms. Construction innovators have turned their attention to copilot solutions for their ability to become indispensable tools for construction professionals, offering a suite of features and functions that are reshaping the industry.
Copilot: Features & Functions
Copilot technology provides an additional level of functionality within specific applications intended to ultimately increase our productivity in any given function. Depending on the application or use case, a copilot function may provide a user with better data analysis, writing assistance, search functionality, content creation, and more.
In addition, Copilot systems have been sold for their ability to incorporate advanced machine learning algorithms, enabling them to learn from past projects and optimize future workflows. This learning capability enhances productivity by streamlining processes and identifying areas for improvement, ultimately leading to more efficient project execution.
there is more than one type of copilot
The construction industry is diverse, and copilot technology caters to this diversity with various types tailored to specific needs. Autodesk announced in Q4 of 2023 the integration of AI into their design solutions. The technology may act as a co-pilot to save designers hours or days of time by helping the user automate repetitive activities during the design process. While Autodesk has not gone so far as to brand an “Autodesk Copilot,” they are capitalizing on the functionality to increase the productivity of their platform users.
Procore, on the other hand, did formally introduce “Procore Copilot” at its 2023 Groundbreak Conference. Though not formally released yet, Procore Copilot promises to further the company's mission of improving productivity in the industry. By bringing generative AI functionality to Procore’s platform, users hope to experience greatly enhanced search functionality, predictive analytics, communications, and more.
Underpinning much of this revolution is Microsoft and its OpenAI platform, ultimately the engine behind much of the copilot features business are introducing today. The generative technology developed through OpenAI has unlocked potentially limitless opportunities for organizations in any industry, construction being no different. Through Microsoft’s various copilots, users on it’s platform or on others are seeking the benefits of this next generation of AI technology.
implications for the construction industry
Through the historic rise in capital and technology poured into the construction industry over the last decade, it still seems the needle has not moved in the right direction on productivity tracking metrics. While project management, workforce management, progress tracking, and other solutions which have all seen meaningful adoption over the last decade have promised productivity enhancements, the overarching data set has not meaningfully changed course.
If copilot technology is as good as promised, the industry’s ability to complete work more efficiently may finally come to fruition. Using features that allow for significantly enhanced document control and collaboration, streamlined communication, safety monitoring, quality control, and progress tracking, project teams may finally be able to do more with less. This is the ultimate promise of the copilot.
This begs the question... is the industry ready to be more productive?
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