Three Trends to Track – Erin’s Thoughts:
1. Agentic A.I. & Automation
I’m very curious to see how A.I. agents and automation will reshape quality and efficiency in construction. Imagine having your emails drafted for you — in your voice — ready for a quick review and send. As these tools evolve, success will hinge on securing our data and building trust in how A.I. is trained and applied.
2. Addressing Future Training Demands
The industry is losing decades of hard-earned knowledge as experienced builders retire, and the next generation simply doesn’t have the same opportunities to learn from past mistakes. I believe there’s a huge opportunity for technology to capture the “why” behind processes and turn that into accessible, even fun, learning resources for new team members. I’m also looking forward to seeing digital skill sets — like prompt engineering and robotics operation — become part of the standard training path for construction professionals.
3. Innovation Saturation
Over the past few years, A.I. has made it clear: staying current with technology is no longer optional. I’m excited to see more small and mid-size contractors adopt tech to sharpen their edge and compete in new ways. At the same time, I can’t wait to see how established innovation teams at larger firms continue to push the limits of what’s possible for the built world.
It’s an exciting time to be part of construction — and I’m looking forward to helping the industry navigate what’s next.
Save the Date! SWACCA Innovation Summit
Hear more from Erin and fellow industry peers at the upcoming SWACCA Innovation Summit at the 2025 Wall and Ceiling Conference and Trade Show in Couer d’Alene, May 15-17.
Join us for Collaborate to Innovate – The Future of Walls and Ceilings, an interactive summit exploring cutting-edge technologies and real-world solutions for industry challenges.
The event features a startup pitch competition, peer-led roundtables on topics like A.I., reality capture, site communication, and in-house app development, and a closing discussion to shape the future of our industry.
Whether you’re seeking new tech, fresh insights, or strong connections — this summit is built to inspire action.
See you there!