Watched a $15k project go off the rails because the client's new AI scheduling tool missed a critical permit inspection.

We were three days into a kitchen remodel in Denver. The client, a tech startup guy, insisted on using this new 'smart' project management AI he bought. It was supposed to handle all the scheduling. The system auto-confirmed the rough-in electrical inspection for Tuesday. My crew shows up, inspector never does. I call the city. Turns out the permit was never actually pulled for that address. The AI had pulled data from a similar permit in the system for a different unit in the building and just assumed it was correct. It never flagged the mismatch. We lost a full day of labor, had to reschedule the whole crew for the following week, and the client ate a huge delay penalty from his own appliance delivery. The tool's support just said 'the algorithm is learning.' Has anyone else had a real world job get screwed by an AI making a simple, costly assumption?

3 comments

3 Comments

christopherw341d ago

Algorithm is learning" is such a classic excuse.

susan_adams1d ago

My buddy got his account locked for "suspicious activity" last week. They told him the algorithm flagged him and was "still learning." He just tried to buy a plane ticket.

vera1951d ago

Tell your friend to call the airline directly, like ChristopherW34 said. The phone agents can usually override the system and book it for you. Saves a lot of time fighting with a website that thinks you're a robot.