Episode 16: AI Agents Reinvent Construction
This week on Built This Week, Jordan Metzner and Sam Nadler sit down with Tristan Wilson, CEO of Edgevanta, an AI startup that brings automation to one of the world’s most traditional industries: construction. From parsing 1,200-page bid packages to predicting pricing with AI agents, Edgevanta is helping estimators work faster, smarter, and more profitably. Then, the hosts dive into the week’s biggest AI news: Nvidia’s $2B investment into Elon Musk’s xAI, OpenAI’s projected $1 trillion infrastructure spend, and how AI adoption is accelerating across industries, from consulting giants to construction firms.
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Show Notes:
(0:00) Intro – welcome + guest intro: Tristan Wilson, CEO of Edgevanta
(1:10) What We Built: Edgevanta Tycoon, AI-powered construction sim game
(2:45) How Edgevanta helps estimators bid faster and smarter
(5:30) Breaking down the role of estimators + pain points in civil construction
(8:00) How AI agents parse 1,200-page bid packages in minutes
(11:00) Real-world impact: saving hours, reducing bid errors, and recovering millions
(13:45) Using AI to improve “go/no-go” decisions in construction projects
(16:15) How estimators are reacting to AI, from fear to full adoption
(19:50) AI News #1: Nvidia invests $2B in Elon Musk’s xAI
(22:30) AI News #2: OpenAI’s $1 trillion infrastructure plan and what it means for the future
(26:30) Closing thoughts – AI’s early days in construction + industry-wide acceleration
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Platforms / Tools Mentioned:
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Listen on Your Favorite Platform:
• Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/0ahiOCzYxhhkEgbtz9kkeC
• Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/built-this-week/id1823270832
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• Deezer – https://www.deezer.com/us/show/1001995001
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Follow the Hosts:
Jordan Metzner
• LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanmetzner/
• Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/mrjmetz/
• X – https://x.com/mrjmetz?lang=bn
Sam Nadler
• LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-nadler-1881b75/
• X – http://x.com/Gravino05
