“You win or you lose”: Jason Howden on AI, risk, and the future of construction
Are you prepared for what’s next in AECO?
In the fast-moving world of PropTech, the "noise" surrounding Artificial Intelligence is deafening. For Jason Howden, Chief Innovation Officer at Revizto, the goal isn’t to follow the hype; it’s to find the signal.
Having spent 30 years in the industry, transitioning from drawing boards to CAD, then BIM, and now AI, Jason serves as a "lighthouse" for the construction sector.
In a recent episode of the Signal from Noise podcast, he shared a vital truth: the foundation of AI isn't actually code. It is resilient data.
The "garbage in, garbage out" reality
In construction, a single project can represent hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars. When the stakes are that high, you cannot afford to think it up on the fly. Jason is a firm believer that AI is only as good as the information it feeds on.
"AI is going to enhance whatever is thrown at it. If it’s bad data, you’re probably going to get more bad outcomes. If it’s good quality data, it’s just going to enhance that. You’re going to be able to make better decisions faster with more predictability."
For Revizto, the mission is to protect that data integrity. By integrating 2D drawings, 3D models, and real-time issue tracking into an integrated Collaboration Hub, the platform ensures that whether you are a plumber or a design architect, everyone is finally working off the same page at the same time.
Moving beyond "vaporware" in AECO
The construction industry is famously risk-averse, and for good reason. It is a high-stakes environment where one bad project can sink a firm.
"It’s almost like a zero-sum game. You win or you lose. I remember a business owner telling me it’s zero to hero in one project and hero to zero in the next."
This volatility has led to a landscape littered with "vaporware," which refers to tech promises that never manifest on a muddy job site. To combat this, Jason’s approach to AI in construction is pragmatic. He envisions AI not as a top-down replacement, but as a virtual assistant that layers over existing workflows to solve real-world problems.
3 ways AI will "shift the dial" for Revizto users:
- Natural human interfaces: Instead of navigating complex software, workers can use conversational AI. "What if you could just simply ask Revizto: 'Hey Revizto, where are my critical issues today?'"
- Automated supply chain alignment: By connecting project schedules to model elements, AI ensures materials arrive "just-in-time." This reduces the risk of damage or theft on-site.
- Scaling the experts: AI allows VDC professionals to scale themselves by automating the repetitive data-linking tasks required for massive structures like hospitals.
The "build it twice" philosophy
One of the most profound shifts Jason discusses is the ability to "build it twice." Unlike manufacturing, which uses prototypes, construction historically only got one shot.
"With construction, you get one go. You’re one and done the first time. But with Revizto, you can model it digitally, and then you can road test how that building fits together. You’ve already rehearsed it."
By leveraging VR and AR, teams can perfect the sequence of events digitally. This rehearsal means supply chains are predictable and on-site efficiency reaches levels never seen before.
A paradox of simple and complex
Despite the high-tech talk, Jason remains grounded in the reality of the craft.
"No matter what we do in the digital world, still somewhere in the world, there is a bricklayer laying bricks in the rain. That craft in the real world still happens."
Construction is a beautiful paradox where a hospital’s plumbing is fundamentally the same as a house’s, just at a massive scale. By cleaning up the data and layering AI over these processes, we aren't just building faster, we are addressing sustainability. With better planning, wastage drops to nearly 0%, helping clean up one of the biggest contributors to climate change.
As Jason puts it, construction is the "most underappreciated, misunderstood, but amazing industry on the planet." From data centers to rocket launchpads, construction enables the modern world. With the right digital "lighthouse" to guide the way, the industry is finally ready to move faster than the glaciers.
