Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping how we work and make decisions, offering tools that can analyze vast amounts of data, identify patterns, and provide insights with unprecedented speed. As impressive as these technologies are, they highlight an essential truth: Some conclusions require more than an algorithm—they require human judgment, collaboration, and a collective voice.

Marc Maguire, a friend and professor at the University of Nebraska, often discusses this reality, particularly in structural design. He describes decisions embedded in structural formulas as not just technical outputs but collective choices made by people. These decisions might involve acceptable risk, requiring debate, agreement, and sometimes the consensus of a majority. This illustrates that the best solutions are often shaped by a group’s diverse perspectives and shared experiences.

This reflection feels particularly timely as we recently marked the retirement of our longtime technical director, James Baty. His contributions over the years were immense. He guided the Tilt-Up Concrete Association through a period when technical expertise often rested in the hands of a few trusted individuals. Yet, access to knowledge has expanded. As our industry has grown more complex, with a wider variety of contexts and technologies than ever before, expertise is now more broadly distributed. This evolution has transformed our community into a powerful collective of diverse voices.

This principle lies at the heart of what our association does. We are not here to provide every answer or act as the sole repository of expertise. Instead, our role is to gather insights, facilitate dialogue, and amplify the collective wisdom of our community. Position statements and papers, for example, are not codes or laws but valuable expressions of our shared voice on key issues—guidance that often carries more weight than an individual contractor’s expertise. In many cases, having a collective position provides clarity and reinforces best practices that might otherwise be overlooked or challenged.

As AI tools continue to evolve, their ability to provide quick answers and solutions underscores the importance of our work as curators of knowledge. While these tools excel at offering options and analyzing data, the human element remains indispensable. Just as libraries evolved from mere book repositories to dynamic centers for knowledge management and curation, we now ensure that the answers we present are vetted, contextualized, and enriched by the collective expertise and judgment of our industry.

Beyond technology, the identity of our association is rooted in human connection. We thrive on engagement—building relationships, fostering collaboration, sharing ideas, debating challenges, and learning from one another. I am proud to work for an organization that prioritizes these connections and empowers our community to shape the future together. While technology will undoubtedly transform how we work, it will never replace the unique and enduring value of human voices united in purpose.