Construction entrepreneurs launch AI tool to boost productivity

Two entrepreneurs are harnessing AI to tackle the persistent industry headaches of time-consuming paperwork and late payments.

Andy Clarke and Ash Abbas used the University of Salford’s six-week BUILD AI programme to accelerate separate technologies inspired by problems they encountered during their careers.

Cutting compliance paperwork

Andy, who has spent almost 20 years working across construction and utilities, is the Founder of ACD3.ai and is developing Utility Docs AI to reduce the time project and site managers spend producing risk assessments, RAMS and compliance documentation.

Using AI and image recognition, the app analyses a job, identifies relevant compliance requirements and helps produce the necessary documentation.

Andy estimates paperwork that can take four or five hours could be completed in around 20 to 30 minutes, while retaining human approval at key decision points.

Andy said: “What I value most about BUILD AI is that every session gave me something practical I could implement straight away.

“I’d leave every session with new ideas, new contacts and a clearer plan, then go away and put those ideas into practice.

“That momentum has been invaluable in helping turn years of industry experience into a technology business with real commercial potential.”

Reducing payment risk

Meanwhile, Ash is drawing on his own experience in construction to tackle late payments and the financial uncertainty they can create for contractors and suppliers.

Having worked in the industry since he was 18, from working on the tools and running his own business to design, contracts and administration, he has experienced the impact of payment problems first-hand.

He is developing ViSurety, an AI-powered trust and compliance platform designed to reduce financial risk and improve transparency between clients and contractors.

The technology uses open banking to verify client liquidity before work begins and AI-powered computer vision to help independently verify completed work before payments are released.

BUILD AI helped Ash take the concept to a highly developed functional prototype, which is now heading towards its next stage of development and live industry testing.

He said: “Thanks to BUILD AI, the project has progressed from a raw concept to a highly developed functional prototype that’s now ready for the next stage of development.

“I remember describing it as being like seeing the first scan of your baby. Everything was still a little blurry, but suddenly something that had lived in my head for years had become real.”

From prototypes to launch

Andy and Ash were among 12 participants on BUILD AI, which has already helped take four products to launch or near-launch, put six working prototypes into testing and accelerated two existing technology ventures.

How BUILD AI works

BUILD AI (Business Uplift, Innovation and Lean Development through Artificial Intelligence) was developed by the University of Salford’s Centre for Sustainable Innovation (CSI) and delivered in collaboration with NoCodeLab.ai.

The programme combined hands-on AI development with commercialisation support and mentoring, helping participants rapidly build and test their ideas while exploring how they could become viable products and businesses.

Dr Ann Mulhaney, Associate Professor for Change Management at the University of Salford’s Centre for Sustainable Innovation, said: “When we created BUILD AI, we wanted to open up AI development to people with brilliant ideas but who might never have thought of themselves as tech builders. These entrepreneurs know their businesses, their industries and the problems they want to solve inside out. What they haven’t always had are the technical skills or resources to turn that knowledge into a product. We wanted to change that.

“In just six weeks they’ve built working products, tested ideas with real customers, launched new solutions and taken businesses forward at incredible speed. That’s what excites me about AI. Put these tools into the hands of talented, ambitious people, give them the right support and confidence, and it’s amazing what they can build.”

Next steps for participants

Participants are now taking their innovations into the next stage, from customer testing and product refinement to commercial launch, investment and further development.

Rapid experimentation and support

Sara Simeone, founder of NoCodeLab.ai, said: “One of the most exciting things about AI-assisted development is the speed at which entrepreneurs can now experiment. They can build something, put it in front of users, learn what works and what doesn’t, and improve it without spending months and huge amounts of money getting to that point.

“BUILD AI gave participants the space to do that alongside other founders, mentors and experts who could challenge their thinking and share their experience. That combination of rapid experimentation and a supportive community has helped people make huge strides in a very short space of time.”

For more information visit www.sustainable-innovation.salford.ac.uk/