“Most AI Agents Will Die” – Why This CTO Is Terrified About What’s Coming
In this episode of Bricks, Bucks & Bytes, hosts Owen Drury, Martin, and Patric Hellermann sit down with some of construction tech’s boldest builders who aren’t holding back. Fresh off massive funding rounds and hard-won lessons, they reveal what’s really happening behind the hype.
What we cover:
– nPlan’s £11.9M Series B – Alan Mosca (CTO) explains why they accidentally solved molecule generation while building scheduling AI
– Factors’ $56M raise – How they’re financing $250-300M of construction work annually (and the “trick” banks don’t want you to know)
– The AI agent apocalypse – Why lack of evaluation frameworks will “kill off most agents”
– WhatsApp is eating construction tech – 90% of site communication happens here, and smart founders are finally paying attention
– Smart glasses revolution – Why this could be as transformative as mobile phones on construction sites
– AI consultancies without humans – The controversial future of PM firms charging on outcomes, not hours
– Why one founder stopped fundraising – “Customer money is the best capital” and why raising is a “massive distraction”
– 5 accelerators, 5 lessons – Prakash Senghani (Navatech) on contradictory advice and what actually works in the Middle East
– Regional pricing secrets – Why per-user pricing fails in the UAE and what to do instead
Key Quote:
“I think we’re getting to a stage where AI is going to become like the internet, right? You don’t tell people that my app runs on the internet. That’s obvious. You’re going to get to a stage where your app has AI. Yeah, that’s obvious, right? What are you doing with it? What’s the outcome?” – Prakash Senghani
Featuring: Alan Mosca (nPlan CTO), Nitin Bhandari (Planera), and Prakash Senghani (Navatech)
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Chapters
00:00 Intro
02:12 Introduction and Guest Introduction
04:61 Funding News and Company Growth
08:03 Technological Innovations in Scheduling
10:40 Generative Models and Unexpected Discoveries
13:31 Developing Custom Models for Specific Tasks
16:24 The Importance of Data and Research
19:08 Convergence of Machine Learning Techniques
22:13 AI Skepticism and Misuse
24:52 The Future of AI in Construction Tech
28:08 Collaborative Scheduling and User Experience
30:57 Evaluating AI Performance
33:36 Insights from Nitin on Data Center Construction
36:32 Planera’s Unique Approach to Scheduling
39:28 The Role of AI in Scheduling
42:20 Lessons from Past Collaborative Tools
45:18 The Future of Scheduling Technology
46:33 Introduction and Context Setting
47:25 Navigating Growing Pains in Business
48:17 The Role of AI in Business Operations
49:44 Understanding the Product and Its Impact
51:14 Practical Applications of AI in Safety
54:45 Target Customers and Market Strategy
55:48 Shifting Gears: The Future of Construction Tech
1:00:17 The Evolution of Software and Company Structures
1:04:09 Current Business Climate in the Region
1:06:13 The Rise of Construction Tech Startups
1:10:05 Experiences with Accelerators
1:15:39 Pricing Strategies for Startups
1:18:41 Conclusion and Future Outlook
