Key Takeaways
- ALICE Technologies is a construction "optioneering" platform that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to help decide the best way to build something
- The platform can take a Primavera P6 XER file and automatically create scheduling and sequencing scenarios
- ALICE is used in high-complexity projects and when there is a requirement to accelerate a project
- The platform helps contractors recover from project delays by finding the best ways to bring the project back on track
- While AI and machine learning have the potential to improve construction workflows, human know-how is still necessary in tasks like scheduling
Introduction to ALICE Technologies
René Morkos, a second-generation civil engineer, has spent 23 years working in construction and academia, and one question has consistently plagued him: why can’t computer vision and machine learning be used to help decide the best way to build something? This question led to the development of ALICE Technologies, a construction "optioneering" platform that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to automate construction sequencing scenarios based on BIM files. As Morkos explained on the ENR Critical Path podcast in 2023, "ALICE is the world’s first construction ‘optioneering’ platform. Instead of deciding how many cranes I need or sequence A, B or C, why can’t the computer give you options?"
The Evolution of ALICE
ALICE evolved out of several project management scenarios Morkos used in construction while studying for his Stanford PhD. He had developed an algorithm that optimized the space utilization on a job site in Amsterdam, and this, along with other scheduling automations, led to the founding of ALICE Technologies in 2015. In 2025, the company released ALICE Core, which can take a Primavera P6 XER file and automatically create scheduling and sequencing scenarios from that alone. As Morkos notes, "What happened to manufacturing in the 1970s and ’80s—it getting digitized, getting automated—is happening now in construction. It’s getting optimized, digitized and connected." This shift towards digitization and automation is slowly transforming the construction industry, with startups like ALICE playing a key role in this process.
The Benefits of ALICE
ALICE is used in high-complexity projects and when there is a requirement to accelerate a project. According to Aleksey Chuprov, senior vice president of data and information technology at Suffolk Construction, "High complexity [in a] project is one case in which we use it, and the second is when there is a requirement to accelerate the project." Chuprov also notes that ALICE is great in scenarios where a project has been delayed and needs to be brought back on track. By baselining the project and setting a target, ALICE can help contractors find the best ways to recover from delays and get the project back on schedule. As Chuprov explains, "Whatever the external circumstances are that cause a project delay, you need to recover, and ALICE is great in those kinds of scenarios where you baseline the project and have a target that’s been pushed out. You need to bring it back to that target, and [ALICE] helps you find the best ways to actually bring it back."
The Role of AI in Construction
While Morkos is a proponent of AI in construction, he believes that there is still a need for human know-how in tasks like scheduling. As he notes, "There’s absolutely progress. The machines get better, but then we realize these aren’t the only things that we need to take into account, and these specific problems aren’t solved. So let’s work on that next layer. The truth is, that has been the pattern for 50 years now." Morkos also believes that the coordination and sequencing approaches that began with Gantt charts in the 1890s and grew into critical path scheduling in the 1940s still have room for improvement. As he explains, "Think about running [a schedule] through a computer simulation, and then you look at the [critical path method], which is like 16 lines of code. It’s very clear that the level of complexity doesn’t match what’s happening in reality." This highlights the need for continued innovation and improvement in construction scheduling and sequencing.
The Future of Construction Technology
The construction industry is undergoing a significant transformation, with technology playing a key role in this process. As Morkos notes, "The way that’s happening is slowly—every startup out there tries to digitize a piece of the puzzle. But slowly, those pieces are coming together." This shift towards digitization and automation is expected to continue, with AI and machine learning playing an increasingly important role in construction. As the industry continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how ALICE and other construction technology startups contribute to this process. With their innovative approaches to construction sequencing and scheduling, these startups have the potential to revolutionize the industry and improve the way we build. As Morkos says, "What happened to manufacturing in the 1970s and ’80s—it getting digitized, getting automated—is happening now in construction. It’s getting optimized, digitized and connected." This is an exciting time for the construction industry, and it will be interesting to see how technology continues to shape and transform it in the years to come.
https://www.enr.com/articles/62357-rene-morkos-makes-artificial-intelligence-work-for-contractors-for-an-industrialized-future
