A lot’s been said lately about the shortage of skilled tradespeople. Not as much has been said about the shortage of senior techs, many of whom will be retiring over the next decade. And that leaves a gap.

True, there’s a surge of younger people entering the trades. But the question becomes: who’s going to train them? And with fewer senior technicians available, you have to use them judiciously. You can’t send them out with every young tech on every job.

The answer may well be an AI assistant. No, AI won’t be replacing a heat pump compressor or clearing a clogged drain line anytime soon. But it can provide a lifeline to a tech who’s new on the job.

Suppose you send a newer tech to a more complex job, involving a model or system they’re not familiar with. Instead of standing around calling different people, the tech snaps a photo, taps a smartphone app and describes the problem. That app is an AI assistant, trained on your company’s best practices and loaded with history from past jobs. 

Suddenly, that tech has access to a treasure trove of knowledge and experience—and will be much more likely to solve the problem on their own. 

Of course, no AI can replace a senior tech. But since there are fewer senior techs these days, AI can be a valuable first option when a younger tech needs help.