With AI entering bidding workflows, the estimator’s role isn’t shrinking; it’s expanding | Construction Dive

An article from Sponsored With AI entering bidding workflows, the estimator’s role isn’t shrinking; it’s expanding Published April 20, 2026 By Shiva Dhawan, Co-founder & CEO, Attentive.ai Share Copy link Email LinkedIn X/Twitter Facebook Print Freepik/RossHelen Sponsored content By Beam AI SPONSORED CONTENT BY There was a time when estimating meant a desk covered in sheets, colored highlighters and scale rulers to mark every detail. Every quantity was measured manually. Any revision meant starting over. That workflow no longer exists for most teams. Once the process went digital, the old way was completely replaced. This pattern is consistent. Every generation of estimators has adopted better tools. From paper to digital, each shift reduced manual effort and improved speed. And every time, the job didn't shrink; it evolved. As technology removed repetitive work, precon professionals moved up the value chain. AI is the present step in this journey. The capacity problem is real. And constant hiring is not the solution. Across the industry, contractors are seeing more bid opportunities than ever. According to a Deloitte report, U.S. construction spending is nearing $2.2 trillion, with growth led by data centers, manufacturing reshoring and infrastructure investment. But estimating teams aren't growing at the same pace. The industry is already short over 300,000 workers, and experienced estimators take time to adapt digital to AI workflows. So what happens? The same team gets ...