Dr. Sarah Buchner: Real and Practical Applications of AI in Construction with CEO of Trunk Tools Inc.

CONEXPO – CON/AGG Podcast: Construction Business Insights For Contractors

With apologies to all his other guests, Taylor welcomes “probably the smartest person” he’s “ever had the chance to interview” to the podcast - the mastermind behind Trunk Tools, Dr. Sarah Buchner. Among her many achievements, Sarah is a Stanford MBA Graduate, holds a PhD in Civil Systems Engineering and Data Science, has been named a Forbes ‘30 Under 30’ honoree, and is, most proudly of all, a carpenter. Today, she and Taylor dive into her fascinating journey from working in the field to becoming a tech entrepreneur and a pioneering CEO who is effectively transforming the construction industry.

Illuminating the transformative power of integrating advanced AI technology, Sarah details how this cutting-edge approach revolutionizes construction by enhancing efficiency, reducing errors, and tackling the critical challenges of labor shortages and project management inefficiencies. She goes on to unveil the inner workings of Trunk Tools, revealing how the platform utilizes AI to manage vast quantities of construction data, representing a revolution in traditional construction methods, impacting everything from high-rises to infrastructure projects. Delving beyond the technology, Dr. Buchner also offers personal reflections on overcoming adversity, her unwavering entrepreneurial spirit, and her path as a female leader in a male-dominated field. Her conversation with Taylor here today is a compelling narrative of perseverance, innovation, and the power of technology to drive groundbreaking changes in one of the world's most essential industries.

Topics:

• Dr. Buchner's journey from carpenter to CEO of Trunk Tools
• The pivotal role of AI in revolutionizing construction practices
• The development and impact of a health and safety app
• The crucial roles of education and perseverance in overcoming challenges and achieving success
• Transition challenges and successes from manual labor to a leadership role
• Insights into Trunk Tools' use of AI
• The broader application of AI tools in construction
• Dr. Buchner's reflections on breaking barriers as a female leader in a male-dominated field
• Her ongoing commitment to innovation in construction technology

Quotes:

“I love being in construction, don't get me wrong, but I am in construction completely involuntarily.”

“How can I be running or managing a team of people where it's so dangerous that like somebody dies?...And I was decided that that's not how we should live still.”

“I just felt like I can actually impact bigger amounts of people. And yeah, since then I've been doing software in the construction industry.”

“I've always had an entrepreneurial mindset…I was just like, how can I make money?”

"The distance traveled means more to me than the point where I'm at.”

"We build the brain behind construction.”

“We're working on automating the boring parts of construction that nobody really wants to do…where people show up to do the parts of their job that they actually want to do, that people are safe, and people are incentivized in the right way.”

As always, thank you to our good friends over at Komatsu for sponsoring this podcast: https://www.komatsu.com/

Links:

• Taylor White on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylor-white-9881a5170/?originalSubdomain=ca
• To see highlights from the 2023 show, go to: https://www.conexpoconagg.com/show-experience/show-highlights
• Komatsu: https://www.komatsu.com/
• Trunk Tools: https://trunktools.com/