Rogers-O'Brien Construction Sets New Standard with Custom AI Assistant 

Compass transforms how 650+ employees access construction knowledge, saving up to 50 minutes on complex tasks while maintaining enterprise-grade security 

4 minute read 

In an industry where the right information at the right time can make or break a project, we're rewriting the rules of how construction professionals’ work. 

We're excited to announce the launch of Compass, our proprietary AI assistant, built entirely in-house to solve problems that off-the-shelf solutions simply can't address. 

Launched on September 2, 2025, the platform has already processed 5,600+ queries, saving our employees up to 50 minutes on each difficult task, and setting a new benchmark for what's possible when construction companies take innovation into their own hands. 

Why We Built Our Own AI 

Most companies in construction are still figuring out how to use AI. We decided to build it. 

"We looked at what was available and realized nothing understood our business," said Todd Wynne, our Chief Innovation Officer. " Generic chatbots don't know how RO builds. They don't understand our workflows. And they definitely don't meet our security standards." 

So we spent months designing and developing a purpose-built solution for construction and specifically for how we work. 

Building Compass required solving real problems our teams face every day: How do you find the right person with the right experience? How do you quickly pull up project details without jumping between five systems? 

"When you build your own platform, you control everything: the integrations, the security, the features. We built exactly what our teams told us they needed, and we can keep evolving it as those needs change. It's been one of the most rewarding projects I've worked on," said James Wagner, RO AI Solutions Architect, who helped develop Compass as part of RO's Development Team. 

Enter Compass: the RO AI assistant that understands context, remembers conversations, and connects to the systems our teams use every day. 

What Makes Compass Different 

It's construction-fluent and enterprise secure. 

Compass was built from the ground up to understand construction specific terminology, policies, and project structures. It knows the difference between a superintendent and a project engineer. It understands what "Course of Construction" means. It speaks the language of the build. 

It's deeply integrated. 

Compass connects seamlessly with our core systems like Bridgit Bench, Procore, our Playbook, the employee directory and project databases. 

The integration work required rethinking how AI could interact with construction data. Rather than forcing our teams to adapt to generic AI limitations, the R&D team focused on building a platform that understands how construction professionals work. 

"From an R&D perspective, Compass represents a shift in how we approach problem-solving. Instead of adapting our workflows to fit available technology, we built technology that adapts to our workflows. That's the kind of innovation that creates real competitive advantage," said Dr. Hagen Fritz, R&D Engineer who helped develop Compass. 

Compass pulls live data to deliver real-time, accurate answers. 

It's context-aware. 

Compass remembers who you are, what projects you're assigned to, and what you've asked before. This means personalized assistance that gets smarter the more you use it. 

Ask "Who's the superintendent on my project?" and Compass knows which project you're talking about. 

It's secure by design. 

Every conversation, every query, every piece of data stays within our protected environment. Compass meets enterprise-grade compliance standards because it was built with security as a foundation. 

What Compass Does 

Compass is a custom AI assistant that handles everything from brainstorming to research, running on multiple best-in-class models (GPT-5, GPT-5 Reasoning, Sonnet 4, and Grok 4) with no limits on usage. Employees can upload contracts or project files to chat with them securely, search our Playbook for policies and best practices, and query linked databases to find project details, team assignments, and resource allocation across 7,000+ project records going back decades. 

How Our Teams Are Using Compass 

Since launch, Compass has transformed daily operations across our five Texas regions. 

• Instant policy answers:?"What's the next paid holiday?" gets an immediate response with no digging through handbooks. 

• Real-time project intelligence:?"Who is the Superintendent on 300 Main?" provides current staffing information in seconds. 

• Intelligent drafting:?Compass generates professional communications tailored to specific situations that match our tone and standards. 

• Knowledge sharing:?"It's my first time doing student housing. Who has experience with projects like Villas on 24th?" connects teams with relevant expertise across the company. 

• Complex research:?Tasks that used to take an hour of searching through multiple systems now take minute

Who It Serves 

While operations is the primary audience, Compass has utility for everyone at RO. Whether it's a superintendent in the field needing quick safety guidance, a project manager reviewing a contract clause, or a team member looking up colleagues and their projects, Compass acts as a universal assistant. 

The Impact: Time Back to Build 

Early results show Compass is saving our employees up to 50 minutes per complex task. That's nearly an hour back in their day focusing on what matters: the build. 

But the impact goes beyond time savings. 

"Compass gives every employee the ability to tap into the collective intelligence of our company," said Wynne. "It's about making decisions with greater confidence, speed, and precision." 

In an industry often challenged by data silos and information overload, Compass brings clarity and accessibility. Instead of spending valuable time searching through systems, our teams can ask Compass and get an immediate, trusted response. 

Leading the Industry Forward 

We're one of the first construction companies to develop and deploy a secure, enterprise-grade AI platform specifically designed for our industry. 

That's not by accident. 

“Rather than adopting an off-the-shelf solution and hoping it would fit, we chose to design and build technology tailored specifically to our business,” said President and CEO Justin McAfee. “Compass reflects our commitment to leading innovation in construction and ensuring our teams have precisely the tools they need to deliver exceptional results for our clients.”? 

Compass joins our comprehensive technology toolkit, which includes advanced reality capture technology, digital twins for project visualization, automated monitoring systems, and integrated project management platforms. 

Together, these tools position us as a leader in construction technology, not just in Texas, but nationally. 

What's Next: The Roadmap for Innovation 

Compass will continue to evolve as we expand its reach across more systems and refine its capabilities. We have an ambitious roadmap to expand Compass's capabilities based on user feedback and emerging AI technologies. 

"This is just the beginning," said Wynne. "We're committed to continuously refining Compass to meet the evolving needs of our teams and our industry." 

Setting a New Standard 

For an industry often seen as slow to adopt new technology, we're proving that construction companies can lead innovation, not just follow it.