Using AI to Assist in the Evaluation of Claims

Abstract:

Presentation Topic: Using AI to Assist in the Evaluation of Claims

Abstract: 

This paper explores how artificial intelligence (AI), particularly tools like ChatGPT Plus, is transforming the evaluation of construction contract claims by automating repetitive tasks and improving data collection and interpretation. This paper presents practical applications of AI rather than theoretical concepts, drawing on real-world consulting experience to show how it was used to shorten the time required to complete labor- and time-intensive analyses that have traditionally been handled by consulting staff.

This paper includes two case studies. The first case study used an AI tool to identify and collect weather-impacted workday information from years of daily reports. The second case study used AI tools to quickly develop graphics from contemporaneous documentation to track project events for demonstration purposes. The paper also outlines limitations of AI tools, including accuracy concerning scanned PDFs, inconsistent interpretation of embedded content, and the need for repeated prompt refinement. Emphasis is placed on maintaining human oversight, ensuring objective and complete document inputs, and understanding the risks of overreliance on AI-generated conclusions.

Ultimately, the paper demonstrates that AI does not replace professional judgment; rather, it enhances traditional forensic schedule analysis by accelerating data processing, enabling clearer visualization of project events, and supporting more efficient and comprehensive claim evaluations. A practical roadmap for integrating AI into construction consulting workflows is provided, highlighting where AI adds value and where expert analysis remains essential.

Speakers:

           Mark Nagata, PSP, CDT
           Principal with Trauner Consulting Services, Inc.

Mark Nagata, PSP, CDT is a Principal with Trauner Consulting Services, Inc. with more than twenty-five years of experience in construction claims preparation and evaluation, schedule delay analysis, critical path method scheduling, and dispute resolution. He is a qualified expert who has provided testimony in court, arbitration, and depositions on matters involving delay, damages, and wrongful termination. Mark is the co-author of Construction Delays, now in its Third Edition, and has contributed to several leading industry publications, including AACE International’s Recommended Practice No. 29R-03 for Forensic Schedule Analysis. He regularly writes and presents on topics including schedule delay analysis, productivity and inefficiency claims, and construction damages. Mark has provided scheduling, claims, and project advisory services on projects ranging from small commercial developments to multi-billion-dollar infrastructure programs and is an award-winning instructor for the Federal Highway Administration’s National Highway Institute. He has delivered hundreds of presentations, seminars, and webinars for construction professionals throughout the United States and internationally.

Sami Kaissieh, PSP
Senior Consultant with Trauner Consulting Services, Inc.

Sami Kaissieh holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering with a specialization in Renewable Energy. He is PSP-certified and serves as a Construction Claims Consultant with more than eleven years of experience providing project controls, delay analysis, and claims evaluation services for complex construction projects across the United States and the Middle East. Sami provides scheduling and claims consulting services for transportation, infrastructure, education, energy, data center, and vertical construction projects, and supports dispute resolution efforts involving mediation, arbitration, and litigation. He also presented at the AACE 2026 conference. Prior to joining Trauner, Sami founded and operated his own company and held roles as a client representative, and general contractor scheduler. In these roles, he was responsible for schedule development and maintenance, project performance monitoring, cost and progress reporting, and coordination of project activities throughout design and construction.

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Please register by Wednesday, 10/07/2026; an invitation, including the Webinar link, will be e-mailed to you. For AACE members who hold professional certifications, Webinar attendance counts toward renewal points as long as online attendance for the entire presentation is verified.