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Human-AI Cyborgs: Ethical Future for Projects?

Discover how running AI on lab grown brains can solve AI’s carbon footprint, learn how you can make your virtual chat assistants get information live and on the go, and understand how you can better navigate AI with theory, practice and guidance.

AuthorAuthor

James Garner & Yoshi Soornack
July 01, 2024

Opinion

Why you should seriously consider retrieval augmented generation (RAG) in your projects

🤔 Imagine if your favourite virtual assistant could not only chat with you about the generic data it was trained on, but that it could also fetch the latest news, verify facts in real-time, and even help you with project specific knowledge without any extra effort.

🙌 Introducing Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG)…not to be confused with a RAG status in projects. RAG combines the best of two worlds: the impressive language skills of large AI models and the ability to pull in up-to-date, relevant information from external sources. Here’s how it works:

➡️The AI model takes your question/prompt and creates a smart query.
➡️This query searches through databases, documents, or even the internet to find the most relevant info.
➡️The AI then uses this fresh data to craft a response that's accurate, informative, and spot-on.

💡 Think of it as a highly efficient librarian who knows exactly where to find the best information and how to use it to answer your questions.💡

Why does this matter for your projects?

Once fed your project data (think risk logs, project schedules, cost plans etc.) RAG can supercharge your projects in a number of ways.

⭐️Information is always up-to-date as it pulls the latest info
⭐️Less mistakes as outputs are grounded in real data
⭐️Spot-on answers  as the model has more project context to work with
⭐️Efficiency boosts with quick access to the right documents

Tip of the Week

Want a simple way to convert and compress files?

Admit it, it’s incredibly frustrating when you’re sent a file in a format that you can’t use, let alone open…

Well look no further! The Convert Anything GPT is your all-in-one solution for file conversions and compression. It transforms documents, images, videos, audio, and e-books effortlessly, with formats like Word to PDF, JPEG to PNG, MP4 to AVI, and EPUB to PDF.

How to use it? Upload single or bulk files (up to 20 per ZIP), choose your desired format, and let it handle the rest while keeping content integrity. Plus, it can adjusts file size ensuring you have the perfect file every time.

Chart of the Week

Bring in the cleaners 🫧

Gen AI is taking up a key role as a cleaner to enable more advanced predictive business insight. We expected to see the use of all three strategies being key to journeying from chaos through to innovation, however a more focused use on cleaning is a somewhat modest but excellent use of generative AI. After all, clean, reliable, and valid data is essential for advancing the insight AI can unlock.

This Week's Big Thing

Anthropic release Claude 3.5 Sonnet  – Better than ChatGPT?

Claude 3.5 Sonnet is out and alongside GPT-4o is considered to be the current state-of-the-art in AI language models.  Here’s how Claude 3.5 Sonnet it stacks up:

  • 💯 Performance: It’s set new industry benchmarks in graduate-level reasoning, undergraduate-level knowledge and coding proficiency, some are saying GPT-4o is still better anecdotally for most tasks except coding.

  • 💵 Cost: Its twice as fast as its predecessor Claude 3 Opus and is significantly cheaper to run

  • 🦾 Features: It has a new feature called “artefacts” which when creating documents, designs and more with chat, you can preview the outputs in real-time. Chat GPT still has a much wider integration with custom GPT’s and 3rd party apps however.

Our thoughts?

We think it has a case to replace ChatGPT for those with a better technical understanding and who’s work involves design and coding; but for average users and those in projects, ChatGPT is still the go to.

Sources

Quotes of the Week

"Some creative jobs maybe will go away, but maybe they shouldn't have been there in the first place" Mira Murati, OpenAI CTO

“In the mid-90s, C.E.O.s would say, ‘I don’t know what a website is or what it could do for my business, but I need it.' This is similar. Companies are saying: ‘Don’t tell me what to build. Tell me what you can build.’” Nigel Vaz

Event of the Week

The Construction Tech Conference 2024, hosted by BuiltWorlds, will take place from 23-25 July at the Willis Tower in Chicago. This premier event for the construction industry will feature sessions on cutting-edge technology, including AI, robotics, and sustainable practices.

Attendees can network, learn from industry leaders, and gain insights into emerging technologies driving the construction sector forward. The conference promises comprehensive, actionable insights and a chance to connect with innovators in the field. Don’t miss this opportunity to stay ahead in construction tech.

AI in Projects News

This week we focused on finding news that will help project professionals see a clear path with AI from theoretical guidelines (CIOB Playbook) to practical applications (reality capture tech) and the importance of expert support (consultants) 👇

The CIOB's "AI in Construction Playbook" provides a theoretical understanding of how AI can transform the construction industry by enhancing efficiency, safety, and project management. It lays out guidelines for integrating AI technologies in key areas like predictive maintenance, project scheduling, and risk management.

The London Property Alliance's report explores AI's transformative impact on central London’s built environment. It covers job implications, data access, AI integration, and more. Key areas include planning enhancements and efficiency improvements in construction and smart management. With insights from 300 industry professionals, it provides a comprehensive look at how AI is reshaping the sector.

📸 Reality capture market expands with AI Technologies 🔗

Reality capture expands on the themes introduced in the CIOB playbook in a practical way, which is crucial for modern on-site construction management. AI-powered reality capture solutions improve precision in project documentation and progress tracking, directly supporting the efficiency and project management enhancements advocated by the CIOB playbook.

🕺Consultants are the big winners from AI 🔗

Taking guidance that one step further, this article ties back to the CIOB playbook and reality capture advancements by emphasising the importance of expert guidance to successfully implement and leverage AI technologies in construction and beyond. The widespread adoption of AI across various industries is creating lucrative opportunities for consultancy firms. These firms are in high demand as businesses seek guidance on AI integration, strategy implementation, and operational optimization to maintain competitiveness.

Tech News

Confronting AI’s Carbon Cost with the Human Brain

As we race for super intelligence, there’s a troubling reality we’re yet to comes to terms with: AI has a massive and rapidly growing carbon footprint.

We mentioned in the last newsletter that training AI models is expensive. With our current approach to running AI models, this is also highly carbon intensive. In perspective, training the old ChatGPT model generated 502 metric tonnes of carbon, which is equivalent to driving 112 petrol powered cars for a year.”

One initially weird but promising solution is to develop AI models using the brain as an engine. Yep, you’ve heard that right... Imagine a computer that's not made of silicon chips and wires, but instead is powered by living human brain cells. That's the wild and fascinating idea behind biocomputers, a new technology being pioneered by a Swiss startup called FinalSpark.

FinalSpark is growing thousands of human brain cells in their lab and wiring them up to electrodes to create "cyborg chips". Each chip contains around 10,000 neurons, roughly equivalent to the brain of a fly. But don't underestimate these mini-brains - they pack a serious computational punch. Is this the future?

3 other ways researchers are tackling AI’s carbon footprint:

 

Quick Fire Other Tech News

  • Forbes sues Perplexity AI over copyright issues: Axios

  • AI outperforms undergraduates in solving problems: BBC

  • OpenAI uses GPT-4 to find its own mistakes: OpenAI

  • Yuval Noah Harari on AI complicating finance beyond human comprehension: Reddit

  • Gen AI's impact on financial services jobs: LinkedIn

  • PWC's AI Jobs Barometer reveals market trends: LinkedIn

  • Embedding audiences in Generative AI practices: Ipsos

 

AI Productivity News

OpenAI has launched the ChatGPT Desktop app for Mac, now available to all users for free. This new app provides a streamlined interface, offline capabilities, and faster access to AI-powered conversations. It marks a significant step towards making AI tools more accessible, offering enhanced features for seamless integration into daily workflows.

 

Google is integrating its AI assistant Gemini into Gmail, enhancing user experience with smart email management and assistance. Gemini helps draft emails, suggest responses, and organise inboxes more efficiently. This integration aims to improve productivity and streamline communication, reflecting Google's commitment to embedding AI in everyday tools.

Tool of the Week

Nplan Summer of AI Event

The Nplan Summer of AI event showcased cutting-edge advancements in their project management tool, with a strong focus on their AI-driven assistant, Barry V2. This updated version of Barry offers a comprehensive understanding of risk registers, can take notes and ask for clarifications, create visuals on demand, and is evolving towards becoming a fully autonomous agent. With goal-oriented analysis, Barry now recommends actions, moving into the realm of prescriptive analytics.

Key Highlights:

1.     Barry V2 Capabilities:

  • AutoReport: Powered by Barry, it significantly reduces the workload of regular project reporting.

  • Custom Visualisations: Barry can generate bespoke visualisations of project progress.

  • Opportunity Finder: Identifies opportunities within schedules and risk registers.

  • Prescriptive Analytics: Recommends actionable steps based on analysis.

  • Two-Week Trial: Users can explore Barry's features on a trial basis.

2.     Innovations from Nerd Division:

  • GraphGen Model: An experimental tool presented by the Nerd division, designed to enhance project analysis.

  • Sonnet: A Graph Neural Network trained on 3/4 million project schedules, offering fine-tuning capabilities.

3.     Nerd Labs Introduction:

  • Schedule AI: The first release from Nerd Labs, allowing users to upload schedules and interact with the model via GraphGen.

  • Super Schedule Integrity Checker: Utilises GraphGen for comparing and ensuring schedule integrity.

4.     Schedule Studio:

  • Barry Connect: Users can invite Barry to meetings, providing real-time responses in chat.

The Nplan Summer of AI event highlighted these innovative tools, demonstrating their potential to transform project management through AI integration. With the new version of Barry and the advanced capabilities of Sonnet and Schedule AI, Nplan is setting a new standard for efficiency and precision in project delivery.

For more information, visit Nplan.io.

Podcast of the Week

How AI Will Shape Data Analytics in Real Estate

Tune into an insightful podcast moderated by Andrew Knight, featuring industry experts Chlump Chatkupt, Matthew Richardson, and Alberto MG Saruggia. They delve into the transformative impact of AI on data analytics within the real estate sector, discussing innovative applications, future trends, and the potential challenges ahead. This engaging conversation provides valuable perspectives for professionals keen to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving landscape of real estate analytics.

Project Flux Podcast

Exploring Generative AI in Construction

This week on the Project Flux podcast, we dive into the benefits of generative AI in construction with Construct AI Co-Founder Philip Clifford-Brown. Our discussion covers:

  • The inspiration, journey, and challenges behind building a generative AI solution for construction.

  • How construction professionals can leverage the AI platform.

  • The influence of big tech on AI start-ups.

Guest Speaker Profile: Phillip Clifford-Brown Phillip, Managing Director at Weston Analytics, brings over 20 years of IT and software experience, specializing in workforce management solutions for the rail and construction sectors.

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AI & Projects, in collaboration with the Project Data Analytics Task Force.

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Meet Project Flux: About Us

At Project Flux, we're committed to pioneering the future of construction and project delivery through the lens of cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence insights. Our vision is to be at the forefront of integrating AI into the fabric of project delivery, transforming how projects are conceptualised, planned, and executed.

Our Mission Project Flux aims to not only inform and educate but also to inspire professionals in the construction industry to embrace the transformative potential of AI. We believe in the power of AI to revolutionise project delivery, making it more efficient, predictive, and adaptable to the dynamic demands of the modern world.

What We Offer Through our insightful newsletters, podcasts and curated content on LinkedIn, and engaging discussions, Project Flux serves as a resource for professionals seeking to stay ahead in their field. We offer a blend of practical advice, thought leadership, and the latest developments in AI and construction technology.

What People Say

“It was a real pleasure being a guest on the Project Flux podcast. James and Yoshi are really on top of things when it comes to AI in general and its application in project management specifically. If you just have a few minutes a week have a read through their newsletter so you can stay informed. If you have just a bit more time, they know how to ask the right questions in the podcast. “

Nicki Kons, risk and project management expert