Technology may be evolving, but roofing still needs roofers

By Emma Peterson. 

While AI can analyze data and automate repetitive tasks, roofing remains a trade built on field experience, adaptability and professional judgment, skills that technology cannot easily replicate. 

As artificial intelligence (AI) and technological automation continues to revolutionize the way we do office and administration work, many people’s natural next question whether they are at risk of losing their job to a robot. To talk about how technology may progress in the future and whether it ends with us all having robot coworkers, John Kenney of Cotney Consulting Group stopped by for a Read Listen Watch® webinar. 

John made it clear that he sees the future of technology, AI and robots as support, not substitution, sharing, “I can't even see the workforce in 10 years being even 5-10% replacement. What I do think we will see is human robotic assistance.” He went on, “I think what you're going to see robots eventually do is reduce repetitive strain, unnecessary exposure and improve consistency in certain narrow workflows. Think areas like material movement, staging support, repetitive inspections, documentation and safety regulations.” 

How is John able to make this statement so confidently? As high-tech and futuristic these new tools might seem, they have limitations. He gave some examples:  

In roofing, a lot of companies still operate heavily on prior knowledge and improvisations as challenges in the field arise. But robotics and automation can’t operate without a structured process, they’re not something that can go onto a roof and do that adaptive thinking that’s needed... At the end of the day, AI and robots are machinery.  

It’s these type of limitations that give John the confidence to dismiss fears of robot replacement. Because at the end of the day, AI and automation are like nail guns and heat torches – tools that will help the industry grow and improve efficiency, but, as John put it, “The skilled judgment of experienced roofers and contractors will always be irreplaceable.” 

Listen to the whole episode or Watch the recording to learn more about automation, AI, technology and the future of roofing.