TL:DR Non-Paywalled

As construction technology providers continue to invest in artificial intelligence-enabled workflows, contractors continue to demand greater interoperability between the cloud platforms they use as well as integrations into jobsite-focused hardware and software.

At its annual Dimensions user conference in Las Vegas, held Nov. 10-12, hardware and software provider Trimble announced an expansion of Trimble Marketplace, its online catalog of more than 100 verified integrations, applications and extensions designed to extend Trimble connectivity to third-party software. The updates specifically automate workflows for the Trimble Connect cloud collaboration platform and Trimble ProjectSight project management software.Trimble's WorksManager — a civil software tool within Trimble’s site management portfolio that allows users to remotely send models to machines and manage onsite devices and equipment — new design sharing capabilities, including the adoption of the ISO 15143-4 worksite data exchange standard. WorksManager integrates with the Trimble Connect project management platform.

Trimble executives stressed to the 4,000 attendees that AI was now a mature part of Trimble’s various platforms, showing off a submittal review AI agent co-developed with contractor Hensel Phelps to automate the often time-intensive process. Trimble CEO Rob Painter said Hensel Phelps did this through early access to Trimble Agent studio, a new release expected in 2026 that will allow Trimble users to develop their own AI agents.

“Five years ago we were doing a lot in AI,” says Mark Schwartz, senior vice president for AECO solutions at Trimble. “It’s changed in that we’ve added generative AI, but we always had the data from the field, and connecting it to the office and round-tripping it back out to the field was always our goal.”

Schwartz said Trimble data collection from survey and site scans along with all of its other point solutions gives the company a natural advantage in building integrations for data management across projects. “All of that data connects into the back office so that it becomes design information, redesign information, actionable information in the GIS,” he explained.

One major AI-based product Trimble announced was outside its construction segment. Mine Insights is a cloud-based mining analytics application that provides AI-powered insights to mining and quarrying professionals for optimizing surveying, drilling, blasting and geotechnical workflows. While not directly a construction product, its earthmoving insights could be used in heavy civil work that require moving a great deal of dirt, such as road and tunneling projects. Mine Insights will be available by the end of 2025.

700 cubic feet doesn’t sound like a large number but nonetheless AI is having some sort of positive impact but at what cost? The 20% savings appears to be in material but what about overall productivity gains?