Latest news with #BruceAlton
Calgary Herald
21-05-2025
- Business
- Calgary Herald
Alberta opportunity for AI adoption takes the stage at Upper Bound
Article content Edmonton may be the best-positioned city in the country to seize on the growth of AI's applications in construction. Article content Article content 'If you're a business person or a technologist or someone in between, you really want to focus on an area that's got growth and opportunity. This is it,' said RoBIM Technologies Inc. CEO and co-founder Bruce Alton. Article content 'Edmonton and Alberta is a place to do it. We have the opportunity here to be global leaders in construction, AI and robotics.' Article content Article content Presenting to a crowd of headphone-clad listeners at the Upper Bound AI convention on Wednesday afternoon, Alton made the case that Alberta, and specifically Edmonton, is primed to capitalize on the growing demand for AI and robotics in construction. Pointing to lagging productivity in the industry, he argued that the marriage of the oldest and largest industry in the world (construction) with the newest and biggest growing industry (AI) was paramount to the future — especially as the country tries to make up ground in a housing shortage crisis. Article content Article content 'As it turns out, we're at an inflection point. There are a number of things that we're seeing in (RoBIM's) area, but also related to a number of other construction companies,' Alton said. Article content RoBIM is an Edmonton-based technology company that offers 'end-to-end robotic fabrication solutions for the residential and commercial construction industries,' giving Alton a practical perspective on the needs and opportunities in the industry. He said the industry's productivity, by comparison to other industries like agriculture, has been stagnant over the past several decades, according to data from McKinsey & Company. Article content 'Zero productivity growth over the last 75 years. It's crazy. And if you kind of look back for the last 40 years, maybe since 1980, it's actually been negative. So we're actually getting worse at construction over the last many, many years,' said Alton. Article content Article content Alton argued that a lack of automation and robotics played a key role in the lagging productivity in the industry, saying there are six different areas where AI could improve the industry — design and planning; project costing and scheduling; operating efficiency; monitoring and inspection; training and safety; and robotics and automation. Article content The latter is what RoBIM focuses on, creating robots that can assist with pre-fabricated construction, which is set to have a full commercial launch next year. Article content He said that part of the company's success, which is also what he recommended to prospective entrepreneurs in the room, is that it bears in mind three important elements of business and innovation. According to Alton, you need a big market with a big problem to solve, disruptive technology, and domain and subject matter expertise, all of which lead to startups, investment, and research money.
Edmonton Journal
21-05-2025
- Business
- Edmonton Journal
Alberta opportunity for AI adoption takes the stage at Upper Bound
Speaker Bruce Alton, CEO and co-founder of RoBIM Technologies, discusses Alberta's opportunity for advancement in construction, AI, and robotics at Upper Bound, the AI conference at the Edmonton Convention Centre hosted by AMII on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. Photo by Shaughn Butts / Postmedia Edmonton may be the best-positioned city in the country to seize on the growth of AI's applications in construction. 'If you're a business person or a technologist or someone in between, you really want to focus on an area that's got growth and opportunity. This is it,' said RoBIM Technologies Inc. CEO and co-founder Bruce Alton. 'Edmonton and Alberta is a place to do it. We have the opportunity here to be global leaders in construction, AI and robotics.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by David Staples, Keith Gerein and others, Oilers news from Cult of Hockey, Ask EJ Anything features, the Noon News Roundup and Under the Dome newsletters. Unlimited online access to Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account. Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by David Staples, Keith Gerein and others, Oilers news from Cult of Hockey, Ask EJ Anything features, the Noon News Roundup and Under the Dome newsletters. Unlimited online access to Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account. Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Presenting to a crowd of headphone-clad listeners at the Upper Bound AI convention on Wednesday afternoon, Alton made the case that Alberta, and specifically Edmonton, is primed to capitalize on the growing demand for AI and robotics in construction. Pointing to lagging productivity in the industry, he argued that the marriage of the oldest and largest industry in the world (construction) with the newest and biggest growing industry (AI) was paramount to the future — especially as the country tries to make up ground in a housing shortage crisis. 'As it turns out, we're at an inflection point. There are a number of things that we're seeing in (RoBIM's) area, but also related to a number of other construction companies,' Alton said. RoBIM is an Edmonton-based technology company that offers ' end-to-end robotic fabrication solutions for the residential and commercial construction industries,' giving Alton a practical perspective on the needs and opportunities in the industry. He said the industry's productivity, by comparison to other industries like agriculture, has been stagnant over the past several decades, according to data from McKinsey & Company. Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Zero productivity growth over the last 75 years. It's crazy. And if you kind of look back for the last 40 years, maybe since 1980, it's actually been negative. So we're actually getting worse at construction over the last many, many years,' said Alton. Alton argued that a lack of automation and robotics played a key role in the lagging productivity in the industry, saying there are six different areas where AI could improve the industry — design and planning; project costing and scheduling; operating efficiency; monitoring and inspection; training and safety; and robotics and automation. The latter is what RoBIM focuses on, creating robots that can assist with pre-fabricated construction, which is set to have a full commercial launch next year. He said that part of the company's success, which is also what he recommended to prospective entrepreneurs in the room, is that it bears in mind three important elements of business and innovation. According to Alton, you need a big market with a big problem to solve, disruptive technology, and domain and subject matter expertise, all of which lead to startups, investment, and research money. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In the case of RoBIM, the market was Edmonton, Alberta and Canada and the problem was lagging productivity in construction. The disruptive technology was using robotics to automate elements of construction, and the subject matter expertise comes from the many AI experts and construction companies that are based in the city, such as AMII, the University of Alberta for AI and Stantec, Ellis Don, and PCL for construction. As the new Liberal government contends with a challenging housing crisis, Alton highlighted that the issue presents a big problem with a large market for solutions, which could be a valuable opportunity for upcoming entrepreneurs. With the same local pool of AI and construction experts as RoBIM, he said the timing is 'perfect.' 'I wanted to highlight this because I really feel now, 2025, this is really a unique opportunity to be in this space,' said Alton. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'I want to leave you with a challenge, 'How are you going to get involved? What are you going to do in this space overall?'' zdelaney@ Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don't miss the news you need to know — add and to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here. You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun. Cult of Hockey Local News Cult of Hockey Local News Columnists
