Nearly 80% of contractors are already testing artificial intelligence (AI) tools, and 80% say AI will be essential within three years, according to The Pivot Point: AI and The Future of Commercial Contracting, a survey of 606 contractors across the U.S. and Canada from BuildOps and Kickstand.
AI systems can increase operational efficiency for many facets of construction, helping them run better, more efficient businesses and make the most out of their workforce. “Most companies are thinking about AI wrong,” said Harvard Business School Professor Chris Stanton at BuildOps Forge 2025. “This isn’t going to be about replacing people … it’s about enhancing productivity.”
In this article, we’ll cover the top ways field service teams are using AI, so you can integrate these practices to enhance your own field service operations. We’ve broken them down into categories based on what areas you’re looking to make improvements in:
- Top use cases for AI for field service operations
- AI for office work & administration
- AI for customer service
- AI for field service business marketing & content creation
- Special AI use cases for field service work by industry
Let’s pull some inspiration from the top ways field service companies use AI across business operations, starting with how techs are using them out in the field to connect them to the back office better.
Top use cases for AI in field service operations
These use cases optimize recurring work, helping save you critical time that really adds up when you consider how frequently you need to perform these tasks.
Scheduling
AI tools enable smart scheduling and dispatching that connect the best technicians to each job based on technical skill sets, workload, and certifications. AI-powered field service software can reassign or reschedule jobs instantly when weather changes, a job runs long, or a worker calls out.
Optimizing scheduling by assigning the right jobs to the right technician keeps jobs on track, improves customer satisfaction by ensuring every job is completed correctly, and makes each appointment more efficient.
Field route optimization
Field service AI optimizes routes by comparing job locations, travel time, traffic patterns, and route efficiency with technicians’ locations. A bonus: save fuel costs by reducing unnecessary time spent on the road, and increase workforce productivity by ensuring field service technicians spend more time working and less time in traffic.
Real-time decision support in the field
Even the most highly trained and experienced technician doesn’t always know all the answers. AI tools provide the support they need in the field to make smarter decisions, providing remote diagnostics, improved service delivery, and avoiding trips back and forth to the office or calls to the supervisor.
In fact, 43% of contractors surveyed by BuildOps and Kickstant report already using AI for jobsite search or chat. For newer employees, decision support in the field means a shorter learning curve and faster growth.
AI for office work & administration
Nearly 40% of contractors surveyed by BuildOps and Kickstand report using AI for admin and recordkeeping. That’s no surprise, because AI improves the workflow in the field and the office by reducing labor-intensive administrative work, improving accuracy, and streamlining processes.
Did you know
Workforce efficiency is vital, as nearly half of contractors reported 20% to 25% of roles are unfilled in their companies. Compounding the issue: nearly 70% see burnout among employees rising, and not just in the field.
“The office teams are being stretched thin,” said Customer Success Leader Chappell Brock during BuildOps’ webinar The Pivot Point. “One customer told me she taps out at 11 hours a day. That’s not sustainable.” Any tools that can reduce the workload are invaluable to contractors operating in today's workforce shortage.
Invoicing
Make invoicing more efficient with AI-powered tools that can turn job notes, photos, and even technician input into clean and complete invoices that match factors like labor, materials, and scope to the right line item.
“If AI can clean up a tech’s notes or translate their voice so the back office doesn’t have to–those 10 seconds add up fast,” said Customer Success Leader Thurain Hlaing during the BuildOps’ webinar.
AI software makes sure every minute spent on the job and every material used is tracked and included on the invoice. And it can flag missing charges and likely add-ons based on similar jobs–improving the bottom line for field service organizations.
Automated work order prep and closeout
Increase workforce productivity and accuracy using tools that automate work orders. AI-powered tools can provide field service data by pre-filling job notes, pulling equipment history and service records, suggesting likely parts, and generating clear recaps from voice or photo input, which saves field service technicians and management time and frustration in the office.
Automated quoting and parts recommendations
Provide faster, more accurate quotes with AI-powered field service software that can scan job notes from field service teams to identify materials, labor, and likely add-ons. The result is quotes that reflect the real project scope in much less time than existing processes, where paper is king and errors and inaccuracies are bound to slip through. More accurate quotes lead to more satisfied customers, who aren’t blind sided by unexpected scope creep.
Smarter inventory and parts management
Using job history and seasonal trends, tech to improve field service automation can predict what parts teams will need in the future. Keep projects on track by ensuring the materials needed are ready when technicians need them. These tools also provide field service leaders with a “bird’s-eye view” of materials, detailing what’s used often and what’s not, resulting in less cash tied up on the shelves for infrequently used materials.
AI for customer service
Improve the customer experience with artificial intelligence that improves communication and overall response time.
Inquiry answering services
Field AI software provides smart ticket triages to ensure all customer interactions like emails, portal messages, and call transcripts automatically route to the right team, whether it's service, install, or sales. AI can handle routine communication like appointment confirmations and basic troubleshooting, giving time back to office staff. It also can assist reps during calls by instantly providing real-time access to relevant job info, prior issues, or recommended next steps.
Better communication and updates
Without a commitment to customer satisfaction, field service businesses won’t succeed. After each job, AI can turn field technician notes, photos, and asset data into clear job summaries that explain what was done and why. Customers trust what they understand, so these clean summaries build better customer outcomes through transparency, fewer disputes, and speedier approval for follow-up work.
AI for field service business marketing & content creation
AI is a powerful asset to companies’ communication efforts, from highlighting work using data collected in the field to writing impactful content for the company website, blog, and social media.
Content marketing
Behind the scenes, AI collects data about schedules, budgets, safety, complexity, and the workforce’s technical capability. Use information gathered from the field every day to create AI-generated project profiles and case studies that highlight work. Generate capability sheets for each market and proposal inserts that prove the company’s expertise.
Use AI to generate impressive website text that includes an eye-catching portfolio page. Improve the portfolio page using AI site photo cleanup and visual enhancements. AI can remove debris and equipment, straighten verticals, enhance lighting, and even create before-and-after comparisons
Content creation
Level up marketing efforts with AI-generated thought leadership content on topics like risk, budgeting, the supply chain, and value engineering that shows leadership’s expertise and impresses customers. Generative AI tools can turn work orders, technician notes, inspection reports, photos, and asset data into high-value marketing content that highlights capabilities and wins. This positions the business as a trusted advisor, not only a field service organization.
Special AI use cases for field service work by industry
AI is a powerful tool for field technicians in many industries, resulting in fewer errors, easier data collection, and help troubleshooting repairs.
HVAC
By analyzing sensor data, performance trends, service history, and field inputs, AI can rapidly flag abnormal operating patterns in HVAC service work—whether it’s airflow issues, failing compressors, short cycling, or energy inefficiencies.
These tools detect recurring symptoms, identify root-cause component failures, and help techs get ahead of issues that could lead to costly downtime. With system-level insights readily available on-site, technicians spend less time hunting for the source of a problem and more time getting equipment back online.
AI can take this data and create comprehensive predictive maintenance plans as well, preventing equipment failures and making the most out of each equipment's lifespan.
Refrigeration
With the right AI tools, refrigeration technicians no longer need to type key information like model and serial numbers. Inevitably, human error will come into play when entering such specific data. AI tools can automatically extract nameplate data from a photo, providing real-time data validation, correcting errors, and flagging missing or unreadable fields.
By snapping a few photos, AI can help identify unit types and parts, as well as troubleshoot repairs. AI tools provide a wealth of information about each asset and its past service records, and can suggest troubleshooting tips based on previous service tickets and solutions that worked on similar systems. Access to streamlined information for proactive maintenance helps skilled technicians avoid reinventing the wheel for recurring problems and saves them time in the field.
Electrical
Electrical contractors can use AI to generate full load calculations based on the NEC to ensure nothing is missed. In fact, 40% of contractors surveyed report using AI for compliance tracking, according to the BuildOps and Kickstand survey. Field service engineers can use AI to determine factors like the total connected load, calculated demand load, recommended breaker size, and conductor size based on ampacity tables.
Improve the customer experience by using AI to provide options. AI can produce multiple calculation scenarios to expedite value engineering and help in planning upgrades.
AI cannot replace a licensed electrical engineer when a stamped load calc is required by code, but it can produce 90% of the calculation and documentation, so a licensed engineer only needs a quick review.
AI is reshaping field service operations by removing friction from every step of the workflow–from scheduling and routing to invoicing, troubleshooting, and customer communication. The result is a stronger, more efficient organization where technicians get the support they need in the field, office teams spend less time on repetitive tasks, and customers receive faster, clearer, more reliable service.
Make sure to check out the full report to pull more insights from leading field service businesses and how they’re using AI, or set up a demo with BuildOps today to see how our OpsAI can help you.
The AI Pivot Point
Check out the full report for more insights on how field teams are using AI.
