Deliberate Words
by Conspectus, Inc. - decision managers, word masters, aggregators. There is tremendous power in a word that is perfectly placed at the best location, at the best time, during the design and construction process of a project. Deliberate words can manage success, build trust, and provide transparency that every member of the project team craves. As decision managers of the team, Conspectus explores the notion of how transparency transforms three main components of every project: behavior, content, and outcomes, through the appropriate usage of words. Behavior of every participant, is the foundation communication and collaboration, through deliberate words. It will transform the team, and build strong relationships. Content, the documentation built on these relationships, containing deliberate words, is then transformed. The outcome is a successful project, with a legacy of ultimate collaboration. Join us as we chat with members of the architectural, engineering, construction, and owner communities to learn how deliberate word shape their contributions, their projects, and their world! Through these conversations, words aggregate decisions, and transforms perspectives on transparency in the decision-making process.
Deliberate Words
What A Week! The Hallucinated RFI - AI in Design & Construction
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This week on What a Week, Dave Stutzman and Steve Gantner explore the growing role of AI in design and construction workflows and the unexpected challenges that come with it. Sparked by real-world examples from both the industry and Conspectus, the conversation examines how AI can generate convincing but inaccurate RFIs, cite standards that do not exist, and create additional work for project teams trying to separate fact from fiction. While AI can be a valuable tool for research, coordination, and product evaluation, the discussion serves as a practical reminder that human expertise, critical thinking, and verification remain essential. If you've wondered whether AI is saving time or creating new risks, this episode offers a timely reality check.
LinkedIn Post referenced: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7467699501432979457/
Learning Points
Industry Insight
AI is quickly becoming part of design and construction workflows, but its outputs are only as reliable as the data, prompts, and human oversight behind them.
Practice Takeaway
Always verify AI-generated comments, RFIs, and research before acting on them. A confident answer is not necessarily a correct answer.
Process Lesson
AI can identify potential discrepancies between drawings and specifications, but it cannot replace the coordination conversations needed to resolve them.
Risk or Opportunity
Unchecked AI can create costly distractions by generating references to non-existent standards, code sections, or requirements that project teams must then investigate and disprove.
People & Culture
The most effective professionals will not be those who avoid AI, but those who know how to use it responsibly while applying experience, judgment, and critical thinking.
Technology Perspective
AI is a powerful assistant, not an accountable team member. Responsibility for decisions, interpretations, and project outcomes still belongs to people.
“AI can accelerate the work, but it cannot replace the expertise needed to distinguish useful information from confident-sounding fiction.”