3 Technologies We’ll See on Construction Sites in the Next 5 Years

By

Jeevan Kalanithi

, Michael Fleischman

, and Anna K. Cottrell

Reviewed by 

Zoe Mullan

and Nicholas Dunbar

Last Updated Jan 30, 2026

By

Jeevan Kalanithi

, Michael Fleischman

, and Anna K. Cottrell

Reviewed By

Zoe Mullan

and Nicholas Dunbar

Everyone knows that we’re in the era of AI-powered technologies. AI is dominating the conversation in almost every industry, but how do the most cutting-edge advances in AI-powered tech translate into the one area of construction that needs innovation the most – the site? AI has the potential to transform how project teams work, anticipate risk, and predict outcomes. But what if we told you that technology is here, right now, to help you and, specifically, your site teams do just that? 

This is the promise of image-first workflows powered by visual intelligence platforms. These workflows don’t replace existing processes – they enhance the way builders already work by grounding decisions in visual truth rather than assumptions or scattered documentation. In this article, we’ll explore the three foundational technological innovations driving these platforms:

1. Spatial AI
2. Image-First Site Workflows
3. Autonomous Capture

Any active construction site is always in motion – delivery trucks unloading materials, crews coming and going, heavy machinery reshaping the site, and multiple stages of work happening simultaneously, from foundation to finish and ongoing inspections. Combine that with numerous communication channels, required documentation, and reporting, and it can be near impossible to stay on top of the issues that inevitably arise. 

Imagine, though, having a highly intelligent platform that connects what’s happening on the construction site in real time – enabling faster issue resolution, verifying progress toward milestones, and executing faster payments with certainty of works completed. When every stakeholder operates from the same visual source of truth, teams spend less time reconciling conflicting information and more time moving work forward. The result: less miscommunication, fewer costly delays, and better outcomes for both contractors and clients. 

We spoke to Jeevan Kalanithi, co-founder and CEO of OpenSpace AI, and Michael Fleischman, the company’s co-founder and CTO. The pair shared insights into how spatial AI, image-first site workflows, and autonomous capture can – and will – make construction sites more predictable, efficient, and intuitive for the people who actually work in the site every day. 

Part 1: The Foundation – Spatial AI

It helps to start with a quick look back at the evolution of construction reality capture technology. First came laser scanners, which were expensive, limiting adoption, then camera-based capture, which was more affordable and scalable. This shift allowed teams to document more of the site with less specialised skill, time, and effort. Now, we are in the third wave: visual intelligence – using site imagery to drive better value for your project and your business through faster issue management, verified progress tracking, and accelerated payments. This wave is defined by moving from just collecting photos to actually understanding the site – turning imagery into context, insights, and guidance. Jeevan explains,

"This technology is not a design tool; it's an execution tool. It's not about what should be there; it's about seeing what is there and what we should do next."

Jeevan Kalanithi

CEO

Openspace.ai

Spatial AI makes the site computable. It understands layout, location, and change in ways that augment human judgment rather than replacing it. In contrast to even the best 3D model, which is static and reactive, spatial AI is inherently active – showing a building’s evolution in real time, based on the reality of the site.

Location, Location, Location

It’s not just that spatial AI provides construction teams with visual evidence of what’s happening on site. Michael defines it as a visual intelligence technology devoted to providing construction teams with real-time access to information about what's happening on site. 

"Recently, we launched a real-time field interface that is fully integrated with project management tools like Procore. It turbocharges real-time spatial field mapping with new spatial AI technologies like OpenSpace’s AI Autolocation and AI Voice Notes. Because the two systems are synched, every time there’s an issue in the field, it is immediately visible and accessible, but also is logged and recorded in a meaningful way."

Michael Fleischman

Co-Founder and CTO

Openspace.ai

“Meaningful” is key. Data captured by reality capture tools becomes truly powerful when it connects to workflows within a centralised construction management platform. Manual documentation often lags behind reality, creating costly gaps between what is documented manually versus the visual record of what’s actually happening on site.  

Having access to tools like AI Autolocation and AI Voice Notes helps reduce admin time and clarify disputes. Even more importantly, they provide rock-solid evidence for what happens on site – and when – helping to prevent many typical on-site issues from even arising in the first place.

Part 2: The Action – Image-First Site Workflows

Automating image-first site workflows is transforming how site teams operate in two crucial ways:

1. Pinpointing the exact location of an issue in real time, even without an Internet connection
2. Reducing the ambiguity that can result from untimely or incorrect record-keeping

Ultimately, visual data delivers its greatest value when it is fully integrated within your project management platform. Michael explains: 

"Through our deep integration with Procore, we have a two-way sync. Every time there’s an issue, it's automatically created in Procore and vice versa. With AI Autolocation – which is a technology that allows the system to locate you anywhere you go on the jobsite, even if you're indoors where GPS doesn't work – the system will suggest a location. When you create an issue, it automatically pins that issue to your exact location on the floor plan. Now all issues that are created on your jobsite are linked to a location, with no missing data or ambiguity."

Michael Fleischman

Co-Founder and CTO

Openspace.ai

AI Autolocation gives you real context on the “where,” “what,” and “when” for every observation, RFI, or snag item your site teams log – expediting resolution, saving time, and creating a more robust virtual record.  

The goal of site automation powered by spatial AI isn’t to replace human agency-based decision-making, but to empower it – enabling construction team leaders to make timely decisions faster by having immediate access to information that’s reliable, current, and, crucially, in context in space and time. 

Next is how you can use this insight for verified Progress Tracking.

"This technology takes all of the visual information collected by people using the platform, and translates it into insights like ‘percent complete,’ schedule updates based on what's actually there, or alerts for hotspots or spotlights of areas where you might have something that will slow you down, such as coordination issues or debris."

Michael Fleischman

Co-Founder and CTO

Openspace.ai

Progress tracking grounded in reality helps teams detect issues earlier, align schedules with actual conditions, and avoid downstream surprises.

By integrating image-first site workflows into project management systems, construction leaders can make smarter, data-backed decisions without stumbling over incomplete, inaccurate, or ambiguous data. 

Part 3: Autonomous Capture

Getting routine capture is still an ask for the site teams, but without a standard operating procedure (SOP), it can be difficult to standardise across your projects. So, what value can robots add in automating this process?

First, it is important to be clear: robots aren’t replacing construction workers anytime soon. Both Jeevan and Michael emphasise that construction sites are complex, ever-changing environments, with things physically shifting, walls being built, uneven surfaces, and dirt, making them physically tough to navigate. While ground robots may already be gaining traction in environments like warehouses, which can be more predictable, the technology isn’t quite there yet for robots to navigate construction sites at scale and within a reasonable cost.

The value of autonomous tools lies in ensuring predictable, consistent visual capture – not in replacing expert trades or site judgment.

That said, Michael and Jeevan both see robotics becoming an integral part of construction sites, supporting autonomous capture – helping to collect more consistent data to power image-first workflows.

"We very much see robots as part of the mix for the future of reality capture, where you have a combination of robots, 360-degree cameras, drones, and mobile phones."

Jeevan Kalanithi

CEO

Openspace.ai

Even then, robots will be just one component of the complex tapestry of image and site data captured. The majority of data capture will continue to happen through mobile phones, which remain the most accessible and widely used technology on site. 

The Evolving Construction Site & Your First Step

The site is the next frontier for construction innovation. Platforms like OpenSpace are already improving all aspects of the process by simplifying documentation, improving quality and the availability of facts, and saving time. 

So, what’s one step you can take today towards an image-first way of working? 

Jeevan and Michael are unanimous in their advice: try a technology that your site team will find easy to use and that fits into the way the team works today. If a technology is difficult to implement, the pushback and time, and trust lost will outweigh its benefits. With a visual intelligence platform, teams are up and running within the hour. Little to no training is required, and the platform builds on familiar behaviors like site walks and progress photos.

"You don't need insurance claims or massive issues for you to see the value – small things suddenly start getting handled faster and easier than before. Make it easy to try, and focus on whether the people doing the work actually like it."

Michael Fleischman

Co-Founder and CTO

Openspace.ai

When teams share visually clear site conditions instantly, they resolve even small coordination issues faster– reducing the friction that often snowballs into bigger delays.

Jeevan believes that the future of construction will be image-first:

"There will be a big change in how people process information to make decisions. For everything from observations to snag list items, it’ll be visual first.  You'll look and see what's there, not read about it. Many reports that have to exist today will just go away."

Jeevan Kalanithi

CEO

Openspace.ai

This reflects a return to how builders naturally work – trusting what they can see – now enhanced with technology that makes that visual clarity instant, shareable, and deeply integrated.

The move toward fewer tools, fewer documents, and more visual clarity is already reshaping how teams communicate – leading to faster resolution, fewer disputes, and greater predictability across the entire project life cycle.

Ready to talk numbers? Now that you understand the technology, read the next article in our series with Openspace.ai : The Value of Visual Intelligence, where we explore how these tools are actively lowering insurance claims and protecting profit margins for construction leaders today.

Written by

Jeevan Kalanithi

CEO | Openspace.ai

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Michael Fleischman

Co-Founder and CTO | Openspace.ai

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Anna K. Cottrell

Writer and Editor | Freelance

9 articles

Anna K. Cottrell is a writer and researcher with an expertise in the property and finance sectors.

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Reviewed by

Zoe Mullan

27 articles

Zoe Mullan is an experienced content writer and editor with a background in marketing and communications in the e-learning sector. Zoe holds an MA in English Literature and History from the University of Glasgow and a PGDip in Journalism from the University of Strathclyde and lives in Northern Ireland.

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Nicholas Dunbar

Content Manager | Procore

65 articles

Nick Dunbar oversees the creation and management of UK and Ireland educational content at Procore. Previously, he worked as a sustainability writer at the Building Research Establishment and served as a sustainability consultant within the built environment sector. Nick holds degrees in industrial sustainability and environmental sciences and lives in Camden, London.

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