---
title: AI in Estimating
tags:
  - status/draft
  - topic/estimating
  - topic/software
  - type/philosophy
---
# AI in Estimating

Most estimators are already pigeon-holed into poor SaaS like Accubid and the rest already,
but the need to increase efficiency with AI will be the nail in the coffin.
The myth that "full package" estimating software is most efficient
will only be exacerbated by the inclusion of AI features
that ought to have been available for decades already.

It has unfortunately been the case that construction estimators have, by and large,
been unable to recognize the bushels of low hanging fruit for automation in our field for decades.
Now that AI grifters have run out of other industries to sell to,
we are first introduced to supposedly revolutionary concepts like:

* automatically reading and setting the scale of a drawing

Estimating specific AI features, being unpredictable literally by design,
will inevitably be inconsistent in reliability between implementations;
a glaring issue since they will be provided by apps with no external compatibility.

Most of these features are far better implemented with traditional computing.
