Keynote Case Study: DCA: Construction Was Entering An Era Of Acceleration.

Jim Carroll’s keynote closed the Distribution Contractors Association event in Hawaii with a look at how AI, virtual reality, 3D printing, drones and other technologies are transforming the infrastructure-contractor world.

The keynote, “Construction Was Entering An Era Of Acceleration,” laid out the challenge and the path forward.

Pipeline, fiber and telecom contractors worked in a specialized industry that was about to absorb a massive wave of new technology and methodology.

Six trends are shaping that shift.

• Artificial Intelligence. AI was moving from office automation into estimating, planning, inspection, safety and field execution.
• Virtual Reality. Immersive visualization was changing training, design reviews and the way complex work was understood before it began.
• 3D Printing. Additive methods were accelerating prototyping and introducing new possibilities for components and construction processes.
• Drones. Aerial systems were making inspection, mapping, monitoring and documentation faster and safer.
• Smart Infrastructure. Pipelines, fiber and utility assets were becoming increasingly connected, sensed and data-rich.
• Adaptation Speed. The winners would not simply see the trends. They would build the capacity to act on them faster.

The contractor of tomorrow, Jim told the DCA audience, will combine physical expertise with digital tools, data and much faster adaptation.

It is not just the trends that matter, Jim closed the Hawaii event by saying. It is how you view them that counts. Explore more keynote case studies.