11 hours ago
AI-Driven Documentation In Construction: Today And Tomorrow
Shuangling Yin, CTO & Co-Founder, InspectMind AI.
Construction crews pour concrete and erect steel faster every year, yet one stubborn line item keeps projects over budget: paperwork.
A 2024 McKinsey analysis noted that 'the industry is lacking sufficient capable workers, and economic labor productivity (the economic value added per hour worked) has stagnated for decades globally despite technological advancements and improvements by individual firms.'
Most field teams still write notes on paper and retype everything after dark so owners, lenders and regulators can audit progress—a routine that has barely changed in decades. Today, however, the latest AI makes automated reporting feasible; McKinsey noted that 'technologies such as generative AI could fundamentally transform how capital projects are delivered.'
Speech recognition, large language models and mature mobile technology can allow workers to press a mic button, describe what they see, snap photos and let software handle the reporting—like a human assistant. When checking a report is quicker than writing it, skilled workers can stay focused on building, not paperwork.
Visit a site trailer at 6 p.m., and you'll find a superintendent who has just handled 10 hours of rebar checks, change-order calls and a midday cloudburst—but the day isn't over. The daily log still awaits: head counts, tasks, weather, photos. Twenty minutes of typing often pushes this chore to Friday, when memories blur—or the log never gets done.
While accurate documentation is crucial for timely payments and project tracking, field workers excel at building, not writing reports.
One superintendent started using our mobile app, which generates reports automatically from photos and voice recordings. According to Zippia, 75.2% of U.S. construction professionals who speak a foreign language speak Spanish. This is where AI can be particularly valuable; workers can speak about their day in Spanish for three minutes, and their professional report in English is ready. The app integrates with Procore, automatically sending reports to the popular project management platform.
Construction contractors aren't alone in needing field documentation. Structural engineers must document observations throughout a building's life cycle—during construction, after completion and over the years to ensure safety.
California's SB 721 and SB 326 mandate periodic safety checks of balconies, decks and walkways in thousands of multifamily buildings. We worked with a licensed structural engineer based in San Dimas who is qualified to inspect balconies for both regulations. He captured about 1,600 photos and 800 bullet-point notes at a Long Beach condominium in three days. Previously, he would have spent another week renaming images, matching them to units and assembling a 400-page report. Now, AI can generate the report in 10 minutes, and he can review it in an afternoon.
After adopting AI-driven report writing, the same engineer can take on more inspection jobs each week—potentially doubling income—and spend more time with family instead of writing reports.
Despite AI's clear benefits for documentation, it isn't yet mainstream in the construction industry. Construction professionals traditionally aren't the most tech-savvy. Even with mobile technology available for nearly 20 years, many still write notes on paper. The efficiency gain must be significant enough to drive behavioral change and require an open mind toward technology.
The current AI wave might revolutionize traditional industries faster than past technological advances. With AI, interacting with technology by just talking feels natural. One of our customers reported that their 70-year-old employee with a heavy Southern accent found the app easy to use and was impressed by the technology.
However, new technology brings risks. Construction projects might contain highly sensitive data—you don't want AI using nuclear plant information for external model training. Additionally, there's a liability factor in inspections, which is why many require licensed professional engineers.
With careful development of AI-enabled construction software, reports can be based on inspectors' substance and input, not fabricated information. AI serves as an assistant, not a replacement for engineers' technical expertise. With perhaps 5% oversight from AI, engineers should always review final reports before submission, as they remain ultimately liable.
I believe AI-driven approaches will gradually become the mainstream of documentation in construction. As someone said, AI doesn't replace your job, but competitors that use AI might replace you. Players are motivated to adopt tech due to competition. For makers of AI construction software, we must deeply understand the industry and responsibly make this transformation happen.
Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
