Top Takeaways from Keynote Zach Giglio at AWCI’s Industry Leaders Conference 2025 Keynote
By Mark L. Johnson
Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic tool reserved for large firms. It’s a practical, everyday partner for contractors to cut administrative tasks, improve estimates, reduce MEP conflicts and elevate work quality. That was the message delivered by Zach Giglio, CEO of GCM and AWCI’s Industry Leaders Conference keynote speaker.
Giglio helps construction teams adopt “off-the-shelf AI” such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Microsoft Copilot. At ILC, he focused on what contractors are doing with AI today and how wall and ceiling firms can start with low risk.
Start Simple, Move on from There
AI adoption succeeds when treated as “change management” process, Giglio said. People resist new workflows, so Giglio recommends beginning where work already happens. Choose repetitive, low-skill tasks, such as drafting emails to clients, writing meeting summaries and organizing job site notes. Small wins build confidence and momentum, Giglio said.
However, construction companies already see measurable gains in several complex areas. Giglio highlighted five of them.
1. Proposals and RFPs: AI can analyze RFP documents, compare them to past proposals and assemble responses tailored to the scope of work. One firm cut proposal time from two weeks to two days using AI, Giglio said.
2. Meeting notes and follow-ups: Instead of relying on auto-summaries, Giglio recommends feeding AI the meeting transcript plus examples of past meeting reports. That way, the AI model can learn your style of reporting and, thus, produce action items that fit your priorities.
3. GC and vendor management: Several construction teams are using AI to compare proposals and identify scope gaps. While AI doesn’t replace human expertise, it can speed up processes. It can help busy teams see more details before they make decisions.
4. Safety reporting: AI can scan safety reports, incident logs and project histories to flag patterns. It can help teams prepare toolbox talks tailored to specific risks, Giglio said.
5. Estimating and takeoff: AI won’t replace estimators. But it serves as a reliable “sanity check,” Giglio said, for validating quantities, cost assumptions and productivity rates. Giglio demonstrated live to the audience how AI can generate takeoffs when guided by clear instructions. Giglio gave those prompt suggestions to AWCI for members to download.
Keys to Successful AI Integration
Studies show, Giglio said, that AI boosts both output and quality, especially for employees with less experience. By offloading mundane tasks, workers spend more time on decisions that matter. But the time savings only count, Giglio noted, if the time can be reinvested into higher-value work.
Here are the steps Giglio offered for introducing AI to an organization:
- Start with one workflow or a pilot group
- Use free or low-cost tools first, buy specialized solutions later
- Use role-play prompts such as, “You [the AI model] are a senior estimator with 30 years of experience…”
- Share examples of past work with AI so it mimics your structure and tone
- Discuss AI at meetings, circulate both wins and challenges
- Build a prompt library
The goal isn’t overnight transformation, Giglio said. It’s building steady, sustainable progress. You don’t need proprietary systems or custom models to begin, Giglio said. Simple, off-the-shelf tools are enough. Companies that start with small, practical steps can gain an edge quickly, he said.
Look for Zach again at BUILD26: AWCI’s Convention + Expo, March 15-18, 2026, in New Orleans. Registration is now open.
Mark L. Johnson writes for the walls and ceilings industry. He can be reached via LinkedIn.com/in/markjohnsoncommunications.