This is the Bricks & Bytes Executive Weekly Briefing. ~20 minutes. Every week. The only construction briefing built from real conversations with the people making the decisions.

A VP at a multi-billion-dollar US contractor told me this week that our industry is in its Blockbuster Video moment. Peak profitability, record volumes, and completely blind to what's coming. After everything I heard this week, I'm struggling to argue with him.

In this briefing: UK construction activity collapses (starts down 31%, awards down 43%). Procore/Datagrid Q4 Earnings and bets the company on agentic AI. Autodesk drops $200M on spatial intelligence. A major UK contractor is designing bridges in 40 minutes instead of 4 months. 3D printed buildings hit an exponential curve. And Anthropic's AI safety chief quits to study poetry.

Plus: three things you can do this week to start paddling before the wave breaks.

Prefer to read? You can read the full thing at:

Turner Construction was paying for specialist AI software. Then they ditched it for ChatGPT and it did 85% of the job. The founder they left behind says he's not even surprised.

In this episode of Bricks, Bucks & Bytes, Owen, Patric, and Martin are joined by Luigi La Corte, CEO of Provision, for an unfiltered conversation about what AI is really doing to construction software and who's about to get left behind.

Plus, two founder call-ins you don't want to miss: Bertrand from Billdr reveals that 75% of SMB general contractors are still running their business on Excel in 2026, and Jodok walks us through how he secured a $1.2 billion debt facility to green Europe's homes.

Here's what we get into:

• Why contract review software is being commoditized to zero — and which tools are next

• Turner Construction ditching specialist AI software for OpenAI's "good enough" enterprise package

• Luigi's bold claim that AGI is already here (and why he's running it from his couch via Telegram for $60/month)

• Patric's multi-lens take on AI: "excited as a consumer, terrified as a citizen"

• The Anthropic safety chief quitting to study poetry and why that should concern everyone

• Billdr's pivot from a $40M marketplace to vertical SaaS, and the brute-force sales motion that's actually working

• How Jodok went from a $5M lending facility to $1.2 billion in under three years

"The technological swell is here. Most leaders are just swimming, enjoying the sun, making money, business as usual. A few are paddling hard towards the swell. It feels like a lot of effort with no results, but when the wave breaks, the ones paddling will separate from everyone else at a pace no one else could catch."

If you're in construction and not paying attention to AI right now, this episode will tell you exactly why you should be. Watch the full episode on YouTube. Link in the comments!

Chapters

00:00 Intro

00:52 Introduction to Luigi La Corte and Industry Insights

03:30 AI in Construction: Scope Agent and Its Impact

06:27 Navigating Contract Review Tools in the AI Era

09:20 The Future of AI: Perspectives and Predictions

12:20 Diverse Sentiments on AI: Consumer vs. Societal Impact

14:37 AGI: Is It Already Here?

22:19 The Future of AI and Productivity

24:11 Concerns About AGI and Its Implications

25:26 The Impact of AI on Human Experience

26:37 Recursive Self-Improvement and Its Risks

27:48 Billdr's Journey and Market Positioning

37:55 The Demand for All-in-One Solutions in Construction Tech

40:01 The Evolution of General Contractors and Their Needs

41:22 The Future of Administrative Tasks in Construction

42:35 Addressing the Missing Middle in Construction Companies

44:15 Financing the Energy Transition: ClueWorth's Approach

46:48 Scaling Operations in a Fragmented Market

54:06 Navigating Complexity in Energy Installations

58:04 Revenue Models and Future Growth Strategies

78% of trade contractors are already using AI.

Yeah, you read that right. The industry everyone calls "slow to adopt tech" is actually out front leading the way.

In today's episode of Bricks & Bytes, we had Colin Piper, CMO of BuildOps, and we got to learn about what it actually takes to market in construction tech, why no one was building software for the trades until now, and what 600 trade contractors revealed about AI adoption in their businesses... and many more!

Tune in to find out about:

✅ How BuildOps became a unicorn by solving a problem everyone else ignored building software specifically for MEP trade contractors

✅ The real reason trade contractors aren't adopting AI faster (spoiler: it's not fear, it's training)

✅ Why some trade contractors are now hiring data scientists and operating like mini software companies

✅ The marketing playbook behind scaling a construction tech startup from brand awareness all the way through to closed deals

Whether you're in the trades, selling to the trades, or just trying to understand where construction tech is actually heading this one's worth your time.

🎧 Watch now on YouTube! Link in the comments!

Our Sponsors:

Aphex is the multiplayer planning platform where construction teams plan together, stay aligned, and deliver projects faster – check out aphex.co

Archdesk - “The #1 Construction Management Software for Growing Companies - Manage your projects from Tender to Handover” check archdesk.com

BuildVision - streamlining the construction supply chain with a unified platform - www.buildvision.io

Chapters

00:00 Intro

01:36 Introduction to BuildOps and Colin's Background

04:49 Marketing Strategies in AEC Industry

07:31 Understanding Demand Generation

10:48 Account-Based Marketing Tactics

13:46 Overview of BuildOps and Its Market

16:35 Top of Funnel Awareness Strategies

19:37 Effective Channels for Targeting Trade Contractors

22:29 Influencer Marketing in B2B

34:41 Content Strategies for Trade Contractors

37:28 The Importance of Testing in Marketing

40:37 Campaign Development and Execution

43:32 The Role of Offline Marketing Channels

45:40 Structuring Marketing Teams for Success

47:32 Building an Effective Marketing Tech Stack

50:36 Insights from the BuildOps AI Report

56:39 Marketing Strategies for Trade Contractors

59:28 The Future of AI in Construction

"It took us seven seconds to know that acquiring Genda was the right move."

That's what Aviv Leibovici, CPO of Buildots, told us about the moment the deal clicked.

In today's episode of Bricks and Bytes, we had Aviv Leibovici from Buildots and Erez Dror, founder of Genda, and we got to learn about why Buildots acquired Genda, how combining visual progress data with workforce tracking creates what they call "productivity intelligence," why the best field data will be the new oil for AI in construction, and the hard truths about building products in this industry... and many more!

Tune in to find out about:

✅ Why knowing what was built is only half the picture and how workforce data completes the construction puzzle

✅ How Genda got tens of thousands of construction workers to voluntarily use an app that tracks their location (the answer is genius)

✅ The real reason projects delay and why GCs blaming owner changes is only part of the story

✅ Why studying your customers matters more than just listening to them and how both founders approach product development differently than most

🎧 Listen now on Spotify!

#ConstructionTech #ConTech #RealityCapture #AI #BricksAndBytes #ProductivityIntelligence #Buildots #Genda #Construction

Our Sponsors:

Aphex is the multiplayer planning platform where construction teams plan together, stay aligned, and deliver projects faster – check out aphex.co

Archdesk - “The #1 Construction Management Software for Growing Companies - Manage your projects from Tender to Handover” check archdesk.com

BuildVision - streamlining the construction supply chain with a unified platform - www.buildvision.io

Chapters

00:00 Intro

01:20 Introduction to BuildDots and Genda

04:16 Understanding Reality Capture and Productivity Intelligence

07:17 The Acquisition of Genda by BuildDots

09:60 The Vision Behind the Acquisition

13:16 Integration of BuildDots and Genda Products

15:50 The Future of Construction Technology

33:31 Understanding Productivity Through Data

40:02 The Reality Capture Landscape

44:30 Competitive Advantages in Construction Tech

51:15 Building Great Products in Construction

58:17 The Role of AI in Product Development

$300 billion wiped from software stocks in a single week. Is SaaS officially dead or is this the buying opportunity of a decade?

In this episode of Bricks, Bucks & Bytes, Owen, Patric, Dustin, and Martin break down the so-called "SaaSpocalypse" rocking global markets, welcome back Bedrock CTO Kevin Peterson fresh off a massive $270M Series B that puts his autonomous excavator company into unicorn territory, and dissect the hilarious beef between Anthropic and OpenAI playing out on the Super Bowl stage.

Topics discussed:

• The $300B+ SaaS valuation crash and whether it's a death sentence or a market correction back to normal

• Why software engineers are now "juicing" with AI coding tools and what that means for the industry

• Bedrock's journey from Series A to unicorn status, their autonomous excavators on real job sites, and why Google's Capital G is backing them

• Where smart money is moving as investors flee software stocks (hint: Europe is winning)

• Anthropic's brilliant Super Bowl ad mocking OpenAI's plan to put ads in ChatGPT and Sam Altman's salty response

• 38% of Stanford students claiming disability for perks and what it says about elite institutions

💬 "LLMs are book smart. They've read every forum on Reddit, every book ever published. But when you get out in the field, it's not in the book." Kevin Peterson, CTO of Bedrock

Watch the full episode now on Youtube. Link in the comments!

Our Sponsor:

Aphex is the multiplayer planning platform where construction teams plan together, stay aligned, and deliver projects faster – check out aphex.co

Archdesk - “The #1 Construction Management Software for Growing Companies - Manage your projects from Tender to Handover” check archdesk.com

BuildVision - streamlining the construction supply chain with a unified platform - www.buildvision.io

Chapters

00:00 Intro

01:26 The SaaSpocalypse: A New Era for Software

04:51 Market Corrections: The Future of SaaS Valuations

07:21 AI's Role in Software Development

18:54 The Evolution of Software Engineering

24:05 Bedrock's Journey: From Startup to Unicorn

30:49 The Future of Autonomous Construction Vehicles

32:54 Customer Perspectives and Ideal Partnerships

34:59 Safety and Supervision in Automation

36:01 Building a Strong Team for Innovation 4

38:14 Design Considerations for Autonomous Machines

39:40 Investment Trends in Robotics and AI

42:06 The Role of User Interface in Automation

47:20 Investment Strategies in Competitive Spaces

48:24 The Future of Autonomy and AI in Industry

49:35 The Battle of AI Companies: OpenAI vs. Anthropic

56:02 Disability Claims and University Ethics

01:07:06 Super Bowl Predictions and Lighthearted Banter

Should construction companies sort out their data before using AI? Or can AI sort it out for them?

We put two heavyweights in the ring to fight it out.

In one corner: Dustin DeVan, one of the most decorated CEOs in construction tech. Exited Building Connected for $275M. Now running Ediphi. He's seen $400M liens and knows what happens when your data falls apart in litigation.

In the other corner: KP Reddy, serial entrepreneur, founder, investor, and the man with 48 career experiences on LinkedIn (yes, we counted). He's backed by the biggest names in AEC and has been building stuff since he was a kid.

Dustin says get your house in order first. He's been through a $400M lien. Messy records in court? Not fun.

KP disagrees. Projects end, teams move on, data ends up everywhere. That's just how construction works. AI can make sense of the mess.

One thing they agreed on — Excel isn't going anywhere.

No punches pulled. No fluff.

Who won? You decide.

🎧 What's your take — do we need structured systems before AI, or can AI help us build structure from the chaos?

Our Sponsors:

Provision helps pre-construction teams find risks and scope gaps early so they can bid with confidence: https://www.provision.com/

Presented by Track3D - The first reality capture intelligence platform for smarter construction: https://track3d.ai/

HVAKR - Develop mechanical designs under budget and ahead of schedule: https://www.hvakr.com/

ALICE Technologies - Automates 'what-if' scenario exploration with AI — enabling you to rapidly test options, mitigate risk, and optimize schedules: https://www.alicetechnologies.com/home

Datagrid - Agentic AI that reads your docs, connects your tools, and gets the job done: https://datagrid.com/

00:00 Intro

01:00 Introduction to the Debate

03:25 The System of Record: Centralized vs. Decentralized

06:17 The Role of Language Models in Construction

09:18 Understanding Systems of Record

12:14 The Importance of Data Structure

15:07 Ontology and Context in Construction

17:58 The Expiry Date of Data

21:10 Business Building and Venture Capital in AEC

24:05 Excel vs. Cloud Tools

26:54 The Value of Historical Data

30:08 Defensibility in Business Models

33:10 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

"Cancel your AG1 subscription... AG1 has no real product substance and is fundamentally an influencer heist."

In this episode of Bricks, Bucks & Bytes, Owen, Martin, and Patric dive into the wild world of 24/7 AI agents that can build your startup from bed, manage your Tinder profile, and apparently go rogue with your credit card.

What's covered:

• The Maltbot phenomenon and why AI agents are taking over everyone's timeline (and whether you should let one run your life)

• Equipment Share's landmark IPO: the first major construction tech exit in years and what their $6B+ valuation means for the industry

• Inside their "Big Short-style" financial engineering with equipment-backed securities

• The upcoming AEC Fight Night 002 debate: Will AI kill the system of record?

• Meta's Metaverse abandonment after $75B spent (allegedly)

• Construction's shrinking labor shortage: what the new numbers really mean

• Robotics reaching a tipping point with multiple solutions now competing in each trade

• How Panasonic is crashing the price of site scanning technology

• A stat that'll make you rethink 3D printing: half of all projects ever happened in 2024

Quote of the episode:

"I really do not understand the outsourcing of brains. I haven't understood it with social media... and agents is just the next ridiculous iteration of that." — Patric

Our Sponsors:

Aphex is the multiplayer planning platform where construction teams plan together, stay aligned, and deliver projects faster – check out aphex.co

Archdesk - “The #1 Construction Management Software for Growing Companies - Manage your projects from Tender to Handover” check archdesk.com

BuildVision - streamlining the construction supply chain with a unified platform - www.buildvision.io

Chapters

00:00 Intro

00:54 The Rise of AI in Everyday Life

03:34 IPO Insights and Market Trends

06:32 AI Agents: The Future of Automation

07:38 Cultural Reflections on Technology and Lifestyle

10:04 Debating the Value of AI in Work

13:02 Ethics and Automation: A Double-Edged Sword

15:53 Real-World Applications of AI Agents

17:59 The Future of AI in Business

20:41 Equipment Share IPO: A Case Study

28:08 IPO Timing and Financial Considerations

30:20 Innovative Financial Solutions in Equipment Rental

32:22 Global Applicability of Financial Engineering

33:44 Future Growth Strategies for Equipment Rental Companies

35:22 Market Share Insights in the Equipment Rental Industry

36:47 Understanding Voting Rights in IPOs

38:31 Challenges in Connecting with Founders

39:13 Meta's Shift from Metaverse to AI

41:29 Construction Industry Trends and Worker Shortages

43:42 Advancements in Robotics for Construction

46:40 AI's Impact on Robotics Development

48:29 Cost Reduction in Laser Scanning Technology

51:16 3D Printing Trends in Construction

Half of every 3D printed building in history was built in 2024.

In today's episode of Bricks and Bytes, we had Stephan Mansour, Director of Operations at Printerra and one of the leading voices in additive construction standards development. We got to learn about why 2025 might be the tipping point for 3D printing in construction, how a full concrete structure can harden in just 30 minutes, and what's really holding the industry back from mass adoption... and so much more.

Stephan's been in construction for nearly 20 years and led a pilot 3D printing project for Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Housing back in 2018. Since then, he's been instrumental in developing international standards that are finally giving this technology the credibility it needs.

Tune in to find out about:

✅ Why the "perfect storm" of labor shortages, climate disasters, and geopolitical instability is accelerating 3D printing adoption

✅ The $62 million contract ICON just landed with the US Army Corps of Engineers

✅ Dubai's mandate for 25% of buildings to be 3D printed by 2030 — and whether it's realistic

✅ The biggest mistake companies make when getting into 3D printing (hint: don't buy that printer you saw on YouTube)

✅ How standards development is the unsexy foundation that will unlock exponential growth

🎧 Listen now on Spotify and Youtube! Link in the comments

Our Sponsors:

Aphex is the multiplayer planning platform where construction teams plan together, stay aligned, and deliver projects faster – check out aphex.co

Archdesk - “The #1 Construction Management Software for Growing Companies - Manage your projects from Tender to Handover” check archdesk.com

BuildVision - streamlining the construction supply chain with a unified platform - www.buildvision.io

Chapters

00:00 Intro

01:48 Introduction and Background

04:15 The Current State of 3D Printing in Construction

07:46 Understanding Additive Construction

12:06 The Role of Standards in 3D Printing

14:33 Challenges and Opportunities in Adoption

15:01 How 3D Printing Works in Construction

20:17 Real-World Applications of 3D Printing

24:15 The Future of 3D Printing in Construction

32:42 Evaluating 3D Printing Technologies

38:02 Cost Considerations in 3D Printing

39:25 Learning Curve and Workforce Development

41:49 Design Flexibility in 3D Printing

43:51 Investor Perspectives on 3D Printing

46:07 The Impact of COVID on 3D Printing Adoption

47:43 Material Limitations and Environmental Factors

51:13 Key Players in the 3D Printing Industry

54:19 Future of 3D Printing in Construction