“In a world with limited resources, you have to find ways to maximize impact. Innovation is the key to getting the most out of every dollar spent. And AI is about to accelerate the rate of new discoveries at a pace we’ve never seen before. I believe we are 18-24 months away from significant levels of AI use by the general population.” ~Bill Gates (https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/19/opinions/artificial-intelligence-year-ahead-bill-gates/index.html)

This year, we have repeatedly said, “Put AI in your strategic plan and budget for 2024.” If you have heeded our advice, your firm should be ready to take the first step (or giant leaps) toward AI in January, and we are here to help.

We often refer to AI as a marathon, and no matter if you are just now lacing up your trainers or already one mile in, we have built the team that can keep you moving forward. Many of our engagements start with a simple on-call agreement that allows your leadership to have access to our AI experts when needed. We also have project-specific contracts that move clients from assessment and first steps, through creating an AI Strategic Plan, implementation, culture and change management, and customized training and education. As the AEC business experts for AI and machine learning, we can tailor your path —to maximize the impact of AI— to be just as unique as you are.

Just by even thinking about AI this year, you are ahead of the pack. But your lead will get shorter and shorter over the next two years if you don’t act now. Let’s get you in the race. Email Kristin Kautz, CPSM at [email protected] to schedule an introductory discussion.

“Do something today that your future self will thank you for.” ~ Sean Patrick Flanery

Great article by Katelynn Santiago about the AI Innovation Discovery services that I provide in partnership with Zweig Group. Thank you, Katelynn! 

Successful adoption requires effective communication, testing, and involvement of all potential users.
Has your firm been struggling to implement a new process or new tool throughout the org chart? You may think you’re having a hard time because the new shiny thing just isn’t a good fit for your firm, or maybe your idea-vetting process isn’t working, or maybe the rollout wasn’t clear. No matter your reason, new ideas have always been hard to accept. Humans are not accustomed to rapid changes, and the world around us is evolving quickly. We are coming up with new ideas every day on how to improve our workplaces, advance ourselves technologically, or just communicate better. All of these are forms of innovation, and innovation is how we improve ourselves and our collective lives.

“Innovation” has become a buzzword. Leaders in firms are trying to find the next best innovation – whether they call it that or not. But they are often thinking of solely technological innovations. This type of thinking can limit the potential of a firm. Innovation, according to Everette Rogers in his book Diffusion of Innovations, is “an idea, practice, or object that is perceived as new.” You can look at the most recent Apple unveiling event to see how far technological innovations have come with the introduction of their new virtual and augmented reality headsets. But you can also see where they’ve plateaued – when will the MacBook not have a bevel and when will its web cam quality finally catch up? You can also look to AI and its rapid expansion into the workplace for how innovations can diffuse into new contexts. Zweig Group has been a part of starting the conversation around integrating AI into the AEC industry because we know it has the potential to change the industry from all sides.

But, as mentioned above, we are not accustomed to change. With rapidly developing technologies like AI, no one can know how well an innovation will be integrated from the start. If you want an innovation to stick, you must begin by communicating the advantages to the groups that will use them. In this way, innovative communication has the potential to have the biggest impact on any idea. This means leaders need to understand how information is being shared across a company through its different business groups. Ideas spread fast in likeminded groups, so identifying the most influential people in each business group and getting them bought in to a new idea should be one of the first steps taken when fielding a new idea to your company.

If leaders are the only ones fully in the know of what new ideas, products, and processes are coming down into the rest of the org chart, that’s inviting pushback and could have a negative impact on adoption rate. Pushing new ideas onto a group will create reluctant adoption which in turn can build resentment and ultimately push people out if they don’t feel like they have a choice. This can be avoided if those deciding – or even the ones creating – innovations include the users in the creation and adoption process.

Again, from Rogers’ book, if an innovation is to be effectively adopted by a group, its relative advantage of use must be clearly stated without being overly complex. The innovation must be thoroughly tested and observed as being compatible with the needs of the potential users. For example, if an innovation is brought forward by an employee in a firm and understood to be useful, but that benefit is only explained once to leadership before being established as a new standard practice without being tested by other parts of the company, that innovation is likely to fail. It wouldn’t fail because the innovation was poorly designed or hard to use, but because the advantage was not tested or communicated effectively with all potential users. Without communication, innovations cannot be adopted. If innovations are not adopted, we cannot elevate our industry.

If you are looking to elevate your firm, the AI Innovation Discovery service now offered by Zweig Group is designed to help identify areas of your firm that have the potential to adopt innovative ideas: a new process, a new product, a new way of communicating. We will walk you through exercises in a workshop format that will center your firm’s and employees’ needs around the problem, so that the final solution fits your firm’s unique situation. Click here to learn more. 

AI Innovation Discovery 
We provide valuable insight into how to best understand and seamlessly merge and adapt AI into your organizational structure. Let us guide you and optimize the impact of AI on your operations, identify areas where AI can be implemented, and develop a roadmap for successful AI adoption. Click here to learn more!

Zweig Group, three times on the Inc. 500/5000 list, is the industry leader and premiere authority in AEC firm management and marketing, the go-to source for data and research, and the leading provider of customized learning and training. Zweig Group exists to help AEC firms succeed in a complicated and challenging marketplace through services that include: Mergers & Acquisitions, Strategic Planning, Valuation, Executive Search, Board of Director Services, Ownership Transition, Marketing & Branding, and Business Development Training. The firm has offices in Dallas and Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Excerpt from: https://www.acec.org/news/last-word-blog/post/ai-the-future-is-now/​

ACEC hosted today the first in what will be a four-part webinar series on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its potential implications for the AEC industry. Today’s session, “An Intro to AI in the AEC Industry,” featured JAM Idea Agency’s Kristin Kautz sharing an overview of what AI is (and isn’t), how it works, and why it matters.

Kautz opened the session by assuring the more than 100 live webinar attendees that her presentation was “human generated,” which she then noted will likely become a routine disclaimer as AI improves and grows. To demonstrate that constant evolution, Kautz also said her presentation was 27 hours old – and that in the one day and three hours since she developed the presentation, AI had changed. “At some point,” she said, “you have to stop updating.”

That drove home the exponential growth of AI, which Kautz called “a marathon you can’t sit out,” and one that has no finish line. She went on to say that AI will create a seismic shift in our workplace and our industry, noting that the technology will enable businesses to automate tasks, freeing up time and resources to focus on what technology can’t accomplish. “I want AI to help humans get to really good stuff,” said Kautz.

Kautz cited a McKinsey study that determined AI and other technologies have the potential to automate activities that today absorb 60 to 70 percent of workers’ time. The same study also found that AI could add the equivalent of $2.6 to $4.4 trillion annually to the global economy.

Ironically, despite fears that AI will “replace humans,” Kautz contends that AI actually has the potential to up the “happiness quotient” in workplaces. She cited as one example AI’s ability to both streamline and speed up the onboarding process. By making new employees feel more connected to an organization, and doing so more quickly, employers can reduce attrition and increase engagement. With studies showing that suboptimal onboarding can leave new hires uncertain about their new roles, and as our industry continues to contend with workforce shortages, orienting new employees is one immediate benefit AI could bring to firms.

But beyond that, the sky is the limit. “Think about what you hate to do every day [in your work],” said Kautz, happily noting as an example an AI program that can eliminate the need to attend meetings. “Think about what you like. What problems need solving? Start with that.” This is technology that is here to stay – and is only going to get bigger, better, and more effective. “AI is not perfect,” Kautz said. “But I promise you; it’s going to get there.”

www.marketerstakeflight.com/2023/06/21/the-future-of-aec-marketing-ai-innovation-and-strategy/

The future of AEC marketing is here, and guess what, it involves artificial intelligence (AI). In this episode, I have an incredible conversation with special guest Kristin Kautz, CPSM from JAM Idea Agency, we uncover the secrets to embracing AI and becoming a techno-optimist in this rapidly changing landscape. Kristin shares her personal journey in the AEC industry, her experience starting JAM Idea Agency, and how AEC marketers can leverage AI to work smarter and faster.

In this eye-opening discussion, we dive into the various applications of AI, from speeding up writing to image manipulation and video editing. Kristin provides valuable insights and recommendations on AI-powered tools like Writesonic and Copy.ai, and we explore the exciting potential of AI in generating answers from your own assets. Along the way, we emphasize the importance of editing and clarifying AI-generated content, ensuring accuracy and security when using AI-based information, and maintaining healthy skepticism when encountering information online.

As we delve deeper into the world of AI technology, we discuss how user-friendly tools like ChatGPT, as well as AI-driven design with Canva, can enhance marketing production processes. These tools free up time for you to focus on creative collaboration while ensuring accuracy and security with AI-generated information. We wrap up our conversation with Kristin’s advice for newcomers to the AEC industry, and she shares her most memorable win. Don’t miss this engaging episode as we unlock the potential of AI and reveal strategies to stay ahead of the game.

Here are just a few highlights from the episode:

• 06:57 – Biggest Emerging AEC Marketing Trends
• 13:00 – How AI is Being Used Today by AEC Firms
• 13:58 – AI in AEC Marketing and Future AEC Marketing Trends
• 17:08 – What AI Tools Can Listeners Start With
• 24:51 – Challenges of AI Adoption in the AEC Industry
• 35:07 – How Best Can AEC Firms Prepare to Embrace This Tech

MICROSOFT
Microsoft announced that its AI powered Copilot will be priced at an additional $30 per month per user (on top of existing subscriptions). The full launch date has not been set yet, but this is the biggest news since they started beta testing with 600 customers.
What this means for you and your firm? If you don’t already have AI in your strategic plan and budget, do it now. Kristin says, “When I think about my previous engineering firm with 1500 people, this will add an extra $600,000 to their IT and tech expenditures annually. On top of what they were already preparing for and spending pre-AI, and that new cost doesn’t include other AI, ramp up, or training and everything else.” AI is more than a singular piece of software, which is difficult to understand when a single company can upcharge like this for AI integration into their singular piece of software. You must start thinking and planning (with real intent and real numbers) for the future that is already here.
 
APPLE
Apple has developed an AI framework called Ajax and has deployed AppleGPT internally, with an aim for a consumer product early next year.
What this means for you and your firm? With 1.5 Billion iPhones in the world, Apple can change the Large Language Model (LLM) landscape overnight. What kind of questions are you asking and what steps are you taking to prepare for this type of release and how your employees’ iPhones access your own systems?
 
META
Meta released an open-source version (mainly free to use, but does not completely comply with the Open Source Initiative’s definition of the term) of its artificial intelligence called LLaMA2, which stands for Large Language Model Meta AI. It is designed to be more efficient and less resource-intensive than other models like ChatGPT, making it more accessible to a wider range of users. Microsoft is in cahoots with LLaMA. It is available on Microsoft Azure and coming soon to AWS, Hugging Face, and other providers.
Easy way to try it out: You might have heard us mention Perplexity AI before (https://www.perplexity.ai/). We like their search because it keeps asking questions to get to the heart of what you really wanted/needed in your original prompt. Plus, you can customize your own profile for even more personalized results (https://www.perplexity.ai/profile). Creepy, but cool! They have built a test platform using LLaMA here if you want to play with it… https://llama.perplexity.ai/
What this means for you and your firm? This is just more proof that AI and the choices of what to use and how are growing exponentially. As our friend Chester Ney said, “The cat is not going back in box!” These tools are already solving real business problems, and there is an undeniable opportunity in front of you if you are paying attention. So, get in the race. Please reach out to the Zweig T(AI)SK FORCE, we’re here to help.
 
AI SYMPOSIUM BY ZWEIG GROUP
We are bringing our very first day-and-a-half AI symposium to Nashville, TN in early November. Stay tuned for details, but we wanted you to be the first to know!

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a rapidly advancing field that has captivated the imagination of scientists, researchers, and technologists around the world. It is a term often used in futuristic narratives, but its impact is increasingly becoming a tangible reality in our lives. From self-driving cars to virtual assistants, AI is revolutionizing industries and reshaping the way we live and work.

What is Artificial Intelligence?

At its core, AI refers to the creation and development of intelligent machines that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. These machines are designed to analyze and interpret data, learn from patterns, make decisions, and adapt to changing circumstances. Unlike traditional computer programs, AI systems have the ability to perceive, reason, and learn from experience.