Automation’s Effects on the Industry

Introduction
Is Tyler Irrelevant? That’s where we start out today.

From there, we conclusively demonstrate our shared lack of connection with today’s youth. We zone in on the term skibidi. Here’s the Urban Dictionary definition. 

Then we move on to Ohio, rizz, and sigma. Aren’t you glad you joined us?

A new generation in construction
The reason we’re discussing this linguistic nonsense is that construction is changing. We asked the LinkedIn community to share what they feel has been lost as things have changed. Specifically, we asked about how automation has affected things.

Before we dig into everyone else’s submissions, we share some of our own thoughts.

Eddie explores the paradox that in some ways, quality has gone up. On the other hand, there are pockets where automation hasn’t yet been optimized and quality has gone down. He also thinks that there’s been a reduction in pride in one’s work.

Tyler talks about certain tasks for which certain people are deliberately avoiding automation because the result is a lack of meaningful connection with the process. We discuss the difference between thoughtful choices to automate and automation for automation’s sake.

What do you know about cubits?
One listener said that knowledge and experience are often lost in the process when things are automated. Eddie and Tyler discuss when this feels like a loss of something meaningful and when you might be able to make the argument that nothing significant was lost. For instance, is the loss of the ability to use a traditional tape measure a meaningful loss?

Tyler mentions that we’ve set aside countless old methods of measurement. Then Eddie discusses the way that AI is affecting education these days.

We discuss the homework Poppy (our grandfather) had to do when he was in school. In order to pass, he simply had to buckle down and learn the tough processes. 

Remote sites
Eddie shares about the experience of visiting data-center construction sites and how the lack of standard power sources and wifi make him feel disoriented. He suggests that young people who are looking for job security should look into robot repair.

Tyler gets meta and discusses the AI plugin that switches video feed that saves our editor an hour or more every week. We’d be able to cope if that broke down, but we’d lose some time. There are plenty of similar situations in construction that would leave some crews rather lost.

Communication
Eddie discusses the level of communication that is required when an automated process can’t be executed without human communication between humans that may not really understand what happened in that automated process.

This can lead to tensions and delays. Eddie recalls a recent example of this.

Tyler speculates about how automation and the RFI process has likely increased the number of projects the average contractor (and designer, and subcontractor, and so on) works on at a time. Pop said his crew often consisted of as few as 3 people. Perhaps the more people you have, the more personalities and anxieties you have. 

Training and proficiency
We discuss the fact that it’s essential that we train people properly as automation increases. If people are being thrown into positions where they execute automated tasks that accomplish outcomes those people don’t really understand, we’re going to have problems.

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