The Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Is Upon Us

There has been a lot of excitement about artificial intelligence and for good reason. AI tools are advancing quickly, and businesses in every industry are learning how to use them to save time, reduce costs, and make better decisions. If your company has not yet explored the use of AI, now is the perfect time to start. The MAA Technology Committee has prepared this bulletin to introduce some of the ways AI can support both your business and personal life.

How AI Is Already Being Used in the Construction and Aggregate Industry

Many companies in our industry are using AI to help with:

• Tracking fuel-use trends and forecasting future needs
• Reviewing equipment idle time
• Identifying material-quality trends
• Creating takeoffs from construction plans
• Helping diagnose equipment fault codes
• Finding replacement part numbers
• Organizing historical data to improve future projections
• Comparing different payment or financing plans—for example, calculating net present value, estimating true total cost, or back-calculating interest rates to determine which option is more cost-effective

Some companies are even building online data systems that combine past and current information so AI can analyze performance and help guide future decisions.

Using AI Safely and Responsibly
Before diving into AI, it’s important to understand how to protect your company’s information. Different platforms have different privacy policies, especially free versions.

Key tips to stay secure:

• Do not upload confidential or sensitive company information into free AI tools.
  Many free platforms may use your inputs to train their systems. Paid versions often provide better privacy protections.
• Use generic or coded names instead of real names.
  For example, name a plant Plant #123 and keep a private reference list so only you know which operation that number matches.
• Turn off any settings that share your data.
  Some platforms have options like “Help improve our services.” Make sure these are disabled so your information stays private.

AI for Personal Use
AI isn’t just for business. You can also use it for creating workout routines, planning travel, finding recipes, organizing schedules, and more.
Search engines are changing too. Instead of just listing links like Google traditionally does, AI tools can summarize information, explain it clearly, and provide detailed answers all in one response.

Free vs. Paid Versions
Free versions of AI tools work well for basic tasks and learning how the systems operate. As your needs grow, especially if your business wants more secure or advanced features, you may want to explore paid options.

AI Tools to Consider

• ChatGPT – Writing help, editing, coding assistance, spreadsheet formulas, research summaries
• Claude – Strong at programming support and document analysis
• Copilot – Microsoft Word and Office AI assistant (often included with MS Office plans)
• Fabric – Microsoft’s data warehouse platform for organizing and analyzing business data
• Gamma AI – Builds clean, professional presentations
• Gemni – AI platform for advanced data analysis, predictions, and operational insights
• Gronk AI – AI tool focused on automating reports, project summaries, and workflow optimization
• Perplexity – Excellent for research and verified sources
• Sora – Creates short, realistic videos

Using AI with Your Company’s Data
Once you become comfortable with the basics, your company may choose to use a data warehouse platform, such as Microsoft Fabric, to store information like production rates, pricing, fuel use, and energy usage. AI can then analyze this data to help you compare operations, evaluate efficiency, or identify cost-saving opportunities.

Be Specific for the Best Results
AI works best when you ask clear, detailed questions. Instead of asking:
“What is the fuel usage for November?”
Ask something like:
“What was the fuel usage for loader #1 at Operation #123 during November 2025, and how does it compare to November 2024?”
The more precise your request, the more accurate and helpful the response will be.
AI also works within “threads,” meaning each conversation only remembers what was said in that session. If you want to build on past questions or results, you must return to that original thread.

What’s Next
The MAA Technology Workgroup will continue sharing tips, tools, and guidance as AI technology evolves. A virtual webinar is planned for the near future to help members explore AI in more detail. As winter approaches, this is a great time to experiment with different AI tools and see how they can strengthen your business operations.