AI in Construction: How to Apply AI to Real Projects with Tom Feliz
In this episode filmed live at LCI Congress 2025, Tom Feliz, DataGrid’s Head of Growth, delivers a compelling case for how construction professionals can practically harness AI to eliminate waste, boost productivity, and reclaim their evenings—not by replacing workers, but by automating energy-draining administrative tasks that keep them from focusing on creative problem-solving and getting home by 5 PM. Feliz demystifies AI adoption in construction by walking through actionable applications like visual language models for document analysis, AI agents that capture and prevent repeated mistakes across projects, and automation strategies that require no coding skills—just the same people-management abilities construction professionals already possess. With insights ranging from why AI represents the biggest invention of our lifetime to a powerful story about a 30-year welding veteran who became an AI power user, this conversation combines practical implementation advice with a philosophy of ”respect for people” that prioritizes clearing the path for field workers, making it essential viewing for anyone looking to understand not just what AI can do for construction, but how to actually get started using it tomorrow.
Whether you’re a construction professional, tech enthusiast, or just curious about the future of work, this episode is packed with insights, philosophy, and practical advice. This show was filmed live from LCI Congress 2025. Tom Feliz, DataGrid’s Head of Growth, breaks down how construction professionals can practically apply AI to eliminate waste, improve productivity, and get home by 5 PM. Discover why AI won't take your job—but someone using AI might—and learn actionable first steps to leverage AI agents, visual language models, and automation in your daily construction workflows.
🎯 Key Topics & Timestamps:
- 0:00 - Introduction at LCI Congress 2025
- 0:54 - What people misunderstand about AI in construction
- 3:17 - Why AI is the biggest invention of our lifetime
- 6:00 - How AI eliminates energy-draining tasks
- 9:48 - Favorite AI tools and large language models (LLMs)
- 10:47 - Creating your own AI board of directors
- 12:47 - Visual Language Models (VLMs) vs. LLMs for construction
- 13:48 - Solving the lessons learned problem with AI agents
- 22:35 - Why Tom chose construction over Silicon Valley
- 24:44 - Respect for people and clearing the path for field workers
- 28:34 - How to get started with DataGrid
- 30:26 - The 30-year welder who became an AI power user
🔑 Topics Covered:
Construction technology, lean construction, Last Planner System, AI agents, retrieval augmented generation (RAG), scheduling automation, target value design, construction productivity, field operations, construction innovation, digital transformation, construction AI tools, project management automation
📚 Resources Mentioned:
- DataGrid: https://datagrid.com
- Contact Tom: tom@datagrid.com
- Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement 2005: https://youtu.be/UF8uR6Z6KLc?si=4_spRDgZHgPdcnkv
💡 Key Takeaways:
✅ AI eliminates menial tasks so you can focus on creative problem-solving
✅ Start with simple automation for high-frequency, high-impact problems
✅ Visual Language Models handle construction documents better than standard LLMs
✅ You don't need coding skills—if you can manage people, you can build AI agents
✅ Lessons learned agents prevent repeating mistakes across projects
👉 Take Action:
- Subscribe for more construction technology insights
- Drop a comment: What's ONE task you'd automate with AI today?
- Share this with someone in construction who needs to hear this
ConstructionAI #LeanConstruction #ConstructionTechnology #AIinConstruction #DataGrid
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Connect with Tom via
LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/tpfeliz/
Datagrid at https://www.datagrid.com/
Connect with Felipe via
Social media and Free Lean and Scrum Training Resources at https://thefelipe.bio.link
RSM Podia Course Link: https://store.theebfcshow.com/rsm
Subscribe to never miss new videos here: https://click.theebfcshow.com/youtube
Watch The EBFC Show Podcast https://click.theebfcshow.com/YouTube-Podcast
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