New AI Programs Cater to LBM Needs

Veterans in construction supply have begun teaming with software experts to create programs specifically designed for LBM.

FairBuild AI analyzes component manufacturers' contracts with builders to spot risky provisions and suggest alternative language. The program reduces or eliminates the need to keep a legal expert on staff or on retainer. Programs like Chat GPT can do some of this work, but they haven't been trained by attorneys and industry experts to look for the most common problems LBM operations confront.

A version for subcontractors is coming soon, CEO Cheryl Lewis says.

Meanwhile, Flitch.com has unveiled Copilot, which it bills as "the industry's first AI built to think and act like a real inside sales rep."

The program resembles a souped-up version of the voice-prompt telephone dialogues that airlines and banks offer. The difference is that you can talk to Copilot as you normally would to a human when you wanted to place orders, get pricing, schedule deliveries, or do other common tasks. The program can handle up to 20 calls simultaneously and is trained to match the dealer's procedures, terms, and policies. The call also can be handed off to a live human at any time.

Webb Analytics has seen this program in action, in which the speaker was in a crowded, noisy location and was changing his mind on what he wanted, and Copilot responded flawlessly.

A search using A.I. tools revealed several other programs that claim to help LBM dealers. Among them:

• Endeavor AI ingests orders from emails, PDFs, and spreadsheets. Then it validates them, matches them to product catalogs, and routes them into ERP systems.

  resolves the SKU, checks availability, pricing, etc.

• Gridlex offers a “no-code ultra-customizable AI builder” tailored for LBM wholesalers and manufacturers.

• Buildix ERP (by BuildingMaterial.ai) calls itself an AI-augmented ERP built specifically for building material distributors and lumber yards.

• Lexacon, Contracto, and DocumentCrunch are similar to Fairbuild AI in that they analyze documents and can draft contracts.