Paul Hedgepath (MJ Harris) and Brian Skripac (DBIA) allay fears around AI, offer pathways for use on the jobsite in the latest episode of the Design-Build Delivers Podcast
People usually fall into one of two camps on AI: it’s either the most exciting tool since BIM or it’s a technology to fear. In this episode of the Design-Build Delivers Podcast, we look past the hype and into the jobsite, where AI agents are already reshaping how design-build teams work.
Brought to you by ARKANCE (Learn more at arkance.us/dbia), this conversation features Brian Skripac, DBIA’s Director of Virtual Design & Construction, and Paul Hedgepath, Director of Virtual Construction at MJ Harris. Together, they share how AI is moving from speculation to application and delivering real value in scheduling, safety and specs.
From waterproofing details resolved in seconds to healthcare owners eyeing AI for facilities management, the stories highlight both the promise and the practical barriers of adoption. Along the way, our guests tackle questions of trust, integration and what it takes to bring new tools into collaborative teams.
Smarter, Faster, Still Human: How AI Agents are Changing Design-Build
Resources
Want to learn more? Check out these resources mentioned in the episode:
- Virtual Design & Construction at DBIA
- AI’s Place in the Industry: How Builders Are Incorporating AI into Design-Build (Design-Build Delivers Blog)
- Agentic AI for Enterprise Transformation (article mentioned in episode)
- The Role of AI in Construction (another article mentioned in the episode)
- Paul Hedgepath on LinkedIn (he’s been warned, but he asked for the follows)
Chapters
00:00 — Meet Brian and Paul
01:17 — AI’s Adoption Curve
03:37 — Real-World Use Cases
08:51 — Beyond the Hype
15:15 — Agents Explained
27:05 — Bridging Office and Field
33:42 — Barriers and First Wins
39:40 — The Future of AI in Design-Build
42:14 — Wrapping it All Up
The Design-Build Delivers Podcast is sponsored by ARKANCE. Learn more at arkance.us/dbia.
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