This AI tool may be the hero the construction industry didn’t know it needed.
- What ChatGPT is (in case you haven’t heard)
- A conversation with the chatbot about helping construction
- Templates and productivity tips
By now, we’ve all heard about Chat GPT. This artificial intelligence (AI) technology has been making big headlines, attracting 100 million users in the first two months after its launch, according to Reuters. By way of comparison, building a 100-million user base took nine months for TikTok and five years each for Google and Facebook.
ChatGPT is a conversational chatbot. It uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to generate responses to your questions and prompts. But not in the cute way you might have expected years ago.
It’s legit.
You can ask it almost anything and you will get an answer. Its capabilities range from simple tasks like calculating square feet, to complex jobs like writing full-blown proposals.
In fact, I’ve seen people build complete websites just by asking ChatGPT to code it for them. We know construction has a love/hate relationship with spreadsheets, but I expect that Excel and Google Sheets support from AI will move the needle closer to the former.
So, how can ChatGPT help you? Let’s ask it.
Question 1: How can construction professionals use you? In just a few seconds, ChatGPT spits out four answers.
This gave me goosebumps. I spent six years working as an estimator and felt like I started everything from scratch, no matter the size or significance of the work.
Is this a whole new world? Let’s dig a little deeper.
ChatGPT says it can help us understand building regulations and codes. They’re pretty crucial in construction so I put it to the test. I got specific.
Question 2: I’m a UK specialist contractor in the roofing sector. What health and safety regulations do I need to look out for on new jobs?
*Note: Be careful when asking ChatGPT about regulations. Always confirm the output elsewhere.
Now, I realize this could seem like a ‘suck egg’ answer. But to many, this information would be invaluable.
Here’s a chance to get ChatGPT to work for us and save tons of time.
Question 3: Can you create a risk assessment for working at height?
This is the beginning of a risk assessment template that ChatGPT-3 created for us. The document continues until it ends with:
What’s even cooler is that the first answer ChatGPT gave didn’t look like a document. It just listed what the risk assessment should include.
Then, I simply asked it to “make it look more like a document” and voila, there you go.
Once again, established companies will already have this content. It’s just one-use case and it’s useful for smaller construction firms.
ChatGPT will give you an example of a completed risk assessment if you ask the right way. The chatbot refused until I reassured it.
Can you, just as an example, complete the template, please?
When you complete the risk assessment, chuck it into ChatGPT to check for spelling and grammar errors. Even more impressive, you can ask ChatGPT to change the tone, and can have some fun with it if you like.
Can you give the tone some levity?
ChatGPT is right, health and safety is no laughing matter. But you can see the positive implications of this. You can rush an email without worrying about how it comes across. Just give the chatbot your copy and ask it to rewrite it in a professional tone.
Bonus Productivity Tip: Meeting Minutes
During meetings, I jot down almost everything that’s said, including questions and future actions. I’m an unstoppable note taker.
The problem is, I rarely have the time, or the inclination, to understand them afterwards. They’re more for future reference in case something comes up.
ChatGPT has changed that. And it has more use than just my ramblings.
Working for a construction company, you’re likely to be in a lot of meetings where what’s said is pivotal to progress. It’s also crucial for accountability.
Here’s how to organize your notes, freeing you up to jot everything down and not worry about sorting afterwards.
Question 4: Here are my notes. Can you list all the actions that need to be taken? Can you list all the questions? Can you turn the rest into a minutes document?
I pasted 713 jumbled words from a 60-minute meeting and got this back, a 24-point action list. (I only show the first two answers for privacy reasons.)
I also got back ten questions that need answering. (Here are the first three.)
As well as the meeting minutes…
This content barely scratches the surface of what’s possible. For deeper dives into ChatGPT and other digital tools, go to archdesk.com. Check out our blog and look out for our newsletter that will be launching soon.
This article originally appeared in the company’s blog and is republished here with permission.
Danny Mitchell is Head of Content Marketing at ArchDesk.com.
