Project Flux

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, James Garner and Martin Paver discuss the latest developments in AI in projects and productivity. They cover topics such as OpenAI's Search GPT, the challenges of AI investment, the skepticism surrounding AI companies, and the need for leadership and experimentation in adopting AI in the construction industry. They emphasise the importance of staying informed and continuously learning in order to keep up with the rapid pace of technological advancements.TakeawaysOpenAI's search GPT offers an AI-powered search engine that integrates traditional search with a chat interface, providing source citations and enriched with images and videos.The AI industry is experiencing a significant amount of investment, with companies like Microsoft, Meta, and Elon Musk's ventures leading the way.The skepticism surrounding AI companies stems from the lack of a clear roadmap for generating ROI and the high expenditures without immediate returns.The construction industry needs to embrace AI and invest in it to stay competitive, but leadership and experimentation are crucial for successful adoption.Continuous learning and staying informed about AI developments are essential for professionals in the project delivery space.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Discussion of OpenAI's Search GPT09:37 The Challenges of AI Investment and Skepticism14:27 Meta's Approach: Commoditising the Compliment18:01 The Future of AI and Project Delivery22:45 The Need for Leadership in Adopting AI in the Construction Industry25:34 Continuous Learning and Staying Informed in the Project Delivery SpaceSupport the showSubscribe to the Project Flux Newsletter!All our podcasts commentate on the weeks hottest news brought to you by the Project Flux Newsletter! Get a step ahead on the world of AI and tech, subscribe and get the weekly newsletter to your inbox every Monday!Sign Up to Newsletter Project Flux is independently owned, funded, and operated by its founder. Any external references or features are for community benefit only and do not imply endorsement, control, or ownership.

Send us Fan MailSummaryIn this episode of the Weekly Pulse, James and Yoshi discuss the UK government's approach to AI regulation, the latest developments from OpenAI, and the potential impact of AI on industries like construction and data analysis. They highlight the importance of striking a balance between innovation and regulation, as well as the need for standards and frameworks in AI development. They also explore the challenges of automating processes and the potential consequences of adopting AI solutions without fully understanding their implications. The conversation touches on the growing trend of more affordable and efficient AI models, as well as the potential for AI to autonomously conduct research and provide insights.TakeawaysStriking a balance between innovation and regulation is crucial in the development of AI.Standards and frameworks are necessary to ensure the safe and ethical deployment of AI.Automating processes with AI can have consequences, and careful consideration should be given to the impact on jobs and workflows.The development of more affordable and efficient AI models is making AI more accessible to consumers.AI models like GPT-5 and Strawberry are pushing the boundaries of AI capabilities, including autonomous research and reasoning.Sound Bites"Striking a balance between innovation, but also developing safely and ethically is a balance which can be quite difficult to attain.""There's companies going in and taking on these tech solutions without fully thinking through the consequences of their actions.""More adoption of computer vision-based technologies within AI development."Chapters00:00 Introduction and Holiday Recap06:11 UK Government's Approach to AI Regulation17:10 AI in Construction: BuildDots and Automation23:25 OpenAI's Latest Developments: GPT-5 and Strawberry29:37 Microsoft's Spreadsheet Language Model34:18 Closing RemarksSupport the showSubscribe to the Project Flux Newsletter!All our podcasts commentate on the weeks hottest news brought to you by the Project Flux Newsletter! Get a step ahead on the world of AI and tech, subscribe and get the weekly newsletter to your inbox every Monday!Sign Up to Newsletter Project Flux is independently owned, funded, and operated by its founder. Any external references or features are for community benefit only and do not imply endorsement, control, or ownership.

Send us Fan MailSummaryDave Officer and James Garner discuss the use of AI in the creative process, specifically in the field of design and illustration. Dave shares his experience of incorporating AI tools, such as Adobe's Photoshop with Gen.ai functionality, into his work. He highlights the time-saving benefits of AI, such as automating tedious tasks like separating images from their backgrounds. However, Dave also emphasises the importance of maintaining the joy and uniqueness of the creative process, and not relying too heavily on AI. They discuss the concerns of professionals in various industries about AI potentially replacing their skills and expertise. Dave mentions his curiosity in experimenting with AI for generating initial ideas but acknowledges the need to preserve the special and personal touch in his work. The conversation explores the impact of AI on creativity and the creative process. The hosts discuss their experiences with using AI tools for idea generation and the potential dangers of relying too heavily on AI. They also touch on the ethical concerns surrounding the use of AI in the creative industry and the potential loss of human creativity. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the importance of retaining the joy and human element in the creative process.TakeawaysAI tools, such as Adobe's Photoshop with Gen.ai functionality, can save time by automating tedious tasks in the creative process.Maintaining the joy and uniqueness of the creative process is important, and professionals should be cautious about relying too heavily on AI.There are concerns among professionals in various industries about AI potentially replacing their skills and expertise.Experimenting with AI for generating initial ideas can be intriguing, but it's important to preserve the personal touch in creative work. Relying too heavily on AI for idea generation can lead to a decline in creativity and cognitive abilities.AI has the potential to make certain skills in creative industries redundant, shifting the focus to creative thinking and problem-solving.The use of AI in the creative industry raises ethical concerns, particularly regarding the use of data without consent and compensation.Retaining the joy and human element in the creative process is crucial, regardless of the advancements in AI technology.LinksDave Officer Linked In Doodle Juice website Dave Officer TikTokSupport the showSubscribe to the Project Flux Newsletter!All our podcasts commentate on the weeks hottest news brought to you by the Project Flux Newsletter! Get a step ahead on the world of AI and tech, subscribe and get the weekly newsletter to your inbox every Monday!Sign Up to Newsletter Project Flux is independently owned, funded, and operated by its founder. Any external references or features are for community benefit only and do not imply endorsement, control, or ownership.

Send us Fan MailSummaryIn this episode of the Project Flux Weekly Pulse, James Garner and Dave Officer discuss the big stories in projects and productivity from the past week. They start by talking about OpenAI's Roadmap to AGI, which outlines the stages of artificial general intelligence development. They discuss the implications of AI reaching higher levels of intelligence and the potential job losses it may cause. They also explore the market consolidation taking place among big tech companies and how it may accelerate the adoption of AI. They touch on the challenges of public perception and the possibility of the AI bubble bursting. In this conversation, Dave and James discuss the recent developments in the AI industry, including the acquisition of companies by tech giants like Meta (formerly Facebook) and the potential risks associated with the race to AGI. They also touch on the lack of responsible governance and the need for ethical use of AI. The conversation concludes with a reflection on the positive and negative impacts of technology and the importance of staying informed.TakeawaysOpenAI's Roadmap to AGI outlines the stages of AI development, with the goal of achieving artificial general intelligence.As AI progresses to higher levels of intelligence, there may be significant job losses in various industries.Market consolidation among big tech companies, such as Amazon, Microsoft, and Google, may accelerate the adoption of AI.Public perception and resistance may slow down the pace of AI adoption.There is a possibility of the AI bubble bursting, similar to past tech trends like NFTs and the metaverse. Tech giants like Meta are acquiring companies to build powerful ecosystems in the AI industry.The race to AGI is driven by the potential for significant financial gains, but there may be pushback and challenges along the way.The lack of responsible governance in the AI industry is concerning, especially as tech companies become more powerful.It is important to find ethical ways to use AI and for governments and institutions to establish guardrails.Awareness and staying informed about AI developments are crucial for making informed decisions and ensuring the best outcomes.Sound Bites"We're talking about Skynet territory here.""This roadmap is impressive, but I guarantee you it'll be vastly different.""We're fully embracing it to help us achieve more, be more efficient, enjoy more time.""They bought Instagram, they bought WhatsApp -  They bought it and then they've created this ecosystem.""There is this AI arms race going on... because there's so much money in it and because they're starting to buy out all the competitors one by one.""It may take a bit longer than they plan and there may be some pushback against it, but... it's like when the iPhone first came out and people were like, why would I want a phone without any keyboard on it?"Support the showSubscribe to the Project Flux Newsletter!All our podcasts commentate on the weeks hottest news brought to you by the Project Flux Newsletter! Get a step ahead on the world of AI and tech, subscribe and get the weekly newsletter to your inbox every Monday!Sign Up to Newsletter Project Flux is independently owned, funded, and operated by its founder. Any external references or features are for community benefit only and do not imply endorsement, control, or ownership.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, Yoshi and James discuss the concept of AI winters and the current state of the AI industry. They explore the history of AI bubbles and the factors that led to their bursts. They also discuss the differences between the previous AI winters and the current AI revolution, highlighting the advancements in AI infrastructure and commercial viability. The conversation then shifts to techniques for maximising the value of AI models, such as few-shot prompting and using the voice feature. They also touch on the upcoming voice feature in ChatGPT. Finally, they discuss an event summary from the Major Projects Association on the landscape of AI. The conversation discusses the importance of getting data and skills right for effective AI implementation. It emphasises the need to start from where we are now and not be discouraged by past mistakes. The conversation also explores how to communicate the opportunities of AI in a way that is accessible and encourages adoption. It highlights the role of showing people how easy it is to use AI tools and providing examples of how AI can improve tasks like email writing. The conversation then delves into the investments being made by big tech companies in AI infrastructure and talent, raising concerns about the potential for a market crash. Finally, the conversation touches on the new Turing test for AI, which is now focused on tasks like gymnastics.TakeawaysAI winters are periods of disillusionment and reduced funding in the AI industry.The current AI revolution is different from previous AI bubbles due to advancements in AI infrastructure and commercial viability.Techniques like few-shot prompting and using the voice feature can maximize the value of AI models.The upcoming voice feature in ChatGPT will enable more conversational interactions.The Major Projects Association provides valuable insights into the landscape of AI. Data and skills are essential foundations for effective AI implementation.It's important to start from where we are now and not be discouraged by past mistakes.Communicating the opportunities of AI should be done in a way that is accessible and encourages adoption.Showing people how easy it is to use AI tools and providing examples of their benefits can help drive adoption.Big tech companies are investing heavily in AI infrastructure and talent, raising concerns about a potential market crash.The new Turing test for AI focuses on tasks like gymnastics.Key Links:All topics are from this week’s newsletter: https://projectflux.beehiiv.com/p/ais-first-winter-new-age-ai-differentSupport the showSubscribe to the Project Flux Newsletter!All our podcasts commentate on the weeks hottest news brought to you by the Project Flux Newsletter! Get a step ahead on the world of AI and tech, subscribe and get the weekly newsletter to your inbox every Monday!Sign Up to Newsletter Project Flux is independently owned, funded, and operated by its founder. Any external references or features are for community benefit only and do not imply endorsement, control, or ownership.

Send us Fan MailIn this weeks episode of our new spotlight series we sat with Tom Haley - Director & Founder of Quantik, and RICS Accredited Quantum Expert Witness.We spoke about:1️⃣ Leveraging AI in large vs small businesses2️⃣ The autonomy of quantity surveying start-up firms and the opportunity to make a difference.3️⃣ AI’s impact on quantity surveyors and the focus on value-add4️⃣ How to stay relevant in a modernising industry5️⃣ How QS’s are slowly becoming project managersTom discusses his motivation for establishing his own firm, Quantik, after working in large corporations. He highlights the limitations of making a difference and changing the future of the profession within a large organisation. Tom believes that quantity surveying can be done differently, which motivated him to start his own firm. He also discusses the impact of AI on the industry and how it can transform the role of quantity surveyors. Tom emphasises the importance of understanding AI, data science principles, and data security as key skills for quantity surveyors in the future. He addresses concerns about job displacement and sees AI as an opportunity to improve efficiency and elevate the role of quantity surveyors.TakeawaysWorking in large corporations provides valuable experience and opportunities, but there are limitations in making a significant impact and changing the future of the profession.Establishing one's own firm allows for the exploration of different ways of doing quantity surveying and the opportunity to make a difference.AI has the potential to transform the industry and reshape the role of quantity surveyors by improving efficiency and allowing them to focus on value-added tasks.To stay relevant in the industry, quantity surveyors will need to develop skills in understanding AI, data science principles, and data security.Job displacement is a constant concern with technological advancements, but AI presents opportunities for individuals to differentiate themselves and provide valuable expertise.The role of quantity surveyors is evolving, and they are becoming more involved in project management and providing advisory services.Chapters00:00 Career Trajectory and Motivation for Establishing Quantik06:36 The Impact of AI on the Construction Industry21:07 Skills for the Future: Understanding AI, Data Science, and Data Security25:52 Addressing Concerns: Job Displacement and the Role of Quantity SurveyorsGuest Speaker Profile (Tom Haley):Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-haley-frics-fciarb/Website: https://www.quantik.co.uk/Keywordscareer trajectory, large corporations, establishing own firm, limitations, making a difference, changing the future, quantity surveying, AI, industry transformation, role reshaping, skills, data science principles, data security, job displacement, oppSupport the showSubscribe to the Project Flux Newsletter!All our podcasts commentate on the weeks hottest news brought to you by the Project Flux Newsletter! Get a step ahead on the world of AI and tech, subscribe and get the weekly newsletter to your inbox every Monday!Sign Up to Newsletter Project Flux is independently owned, funded, and operated by its founder. Any external references or features are for community benefit only and do not imply endorsement, control, or ownership.

Send us Fan MailIn this weeks episode we dived into:🔎 How AI models give you up-to-date information, learn how to make the most of this technique in your projects🫧 How businesses use tools like ChatGPT to guide their journey into more advanced AI capability📄 Insight into two excellent reports by the London Property Alliance and CIOB’s AI in Construction Playbook.🧠 How powering AI with brain matter can potentially solve AI’s fast burning carbon footprint🏅 Recency bias, stealth nerfing and just personal preference in finding the best Gen AI modelTimings:03:15 The Power of Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG)05:06 The Role of Primary Cloud Platforms in AI Modernisation09:23 Introducing Claude 3.5 Sonnet: A New Frontier in Language Models15:22 Subjectivity and User Experience in Comparing AI Models21:13 Exploring Wetware Computing and Brain Organoids25:30 Ethical Implications of Using Human Brains in AI31:26 AI-Generated Commercials and the Future Impact of AIKey Links:Our topics are based on this weeks’ newsletter and the links can be found in the newsletter.Support the showSubscribe to the Project Flux Newsletter!All our podcasts commentate on the weeks hottest news brought to you by the Project Flux Newsletter! Get a step ahead on the world of AI and tech, subscribe and get the weekly newsletter to your inbox every Monday!Sign Up to Newsletter Project Flux is independently owned, funded, and operated by its founder. Any external references or features are for community benefit only and do not imply endorsement, control, or ownership.

Send us Fan MailThis week we explored the benefits of generative AI in construction with Construct AI Co-Founder Philip Clifford-Brown. Together we discussed:➡️The inspiration, journey and challenges behind building a generative AI solution in construction➡️How construction professionals can benefit from the AI platform➡️The impact of big tech on AI start-upsGuest Speaker Profile: Phillip Clifford-BrownWith over 20 years of experience in information technology and software, Phillip is the Managing Director at Weston Analytics, a company that provides exceptional solutions for workforce management in the rail and construction markets. His mission is to help organisations optimise their human capital, reduce risks, and enhance performance.As a leader and entrepreneur, Phillip has a proven track record of delivering innovative and impactful projects across various sectors and domains, including enterprise software, e-commerce, CRM, BI, and SaaS. He has also founded and managed his own consulting firm, offering strategic and technical guidance to clients worldwide. Phillip holds an MSc in Computing for Commerce and Industry from the Open University.LinksLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pcliffordbrown/Construct AI: https://constructai.com/Support the showSubscribe to the Project Flux Newsletter!All our podcasts commentate on the weeks hottest news brought to you by the Project Flux Newsletter! Get a step ahead on the world of AI and tech, subscribe and get the weekly newsletter to your inbox every Monday!Sign Up to Newsletter Project Flux is independently owned, funded, and operated by its founder. Any external references or features are for community benefit only and do not imply endorsement, control, or ownership.

Send us Fan MailIn our first episode of the Weekly Pulse, hosts James Garner and Yoshi Soornack discuss 👇⭐️The mission to reach safe super intelligence: when AI becomes smarter than us🗣️ The conflict between AI automation and augmentation and what this means for you💸 The most valuable company in the world, its lead on AI, and its potential downfall🍟 McDonalds failed AI: Bacon ice cream and nugget overloadSome of these sound crazy, and thats because they are. BUT the lessons are important within projects.Support the showSubscribe to the Project Flux Newsletter!All our podcasts commentate on the weeks hottest news brought to you by the Project Flux Newsletter! Get a step ahead on the world of AI and tech, subscribe and get the weekly newsletter to your inbox every Monday!Sign Up to Newsletter Project Flux is independently owned, funded, and operated by its founder. Any external references or features are for community benefit only and do not imply endorsement, control, or ownership.

Send us Fan MailIn the this latest episode of the Project Flux Podcast we sat down with Nermeen Latif, Technical Director at WSP and fellow member of the Project Data Analytics Task Force to discuss AI’s big predictions and bold movements.Topics discussed:🍏 How Apple are pushing the frontier of cloud computing to unlock new AI capability🤖 The AI candidate running for UK parliament, is it just a gimmick?✝️ The Popes moral concern for AI, deeming it a “cognitive-industrial revolution”🏪 The top 10 technologies that will evolve construction and project deliverySpeaker Profile: Nermeen LatifLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nermeenlatif/Nermeen Latif is a seasoned senior manager with over 20 years in project delivery. Her expertise spans assurance reviews, PMO establishment, and project controls delivery. Nermeen has conducted numerous assurance reviews on process maturity, schedule assurance, and programme gateway reviews. She has designed and set up PMOs tailored to clients’ organisational maturity and applied her project controls experience to ensure effective decisions.Nermeen has also revamped governance, project management, and controls processes, and developed strategic plans and what-if models for board-level decision-making. Her key strength is communication, adept at influencing stakeholders and resolving conflicts to achieve project outcomes.Support the showSubscribe to the Project Flux Newsletter!All our podcasts commentate on the weeks hottest news brought to you by the Project Flux Newsletter! Get a step ahead on the world of AI and tech, subscribe and get the weekly newsletter to your inbox every Monday!Sign Up to Newsletter Project Flux is independently owned, funded, and operated by its founder. Any external references or features are for community benefit only and do not imply endorsement, control, or ownership.