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AI Can\u2019t Write Your Story\u2014But It Can Give You Time to Tell It<\/strong><\/p>\n Article written by Janelle Poisel<\/em>, d<\/em>irector of content at OpenAsset.<\/em><\/p>\n Proposal writing has always been the heartbeat of AEC marketing. But for many, it\u2019s also the source of some of the biggest headaches. Between tight deadlines, internal reviews, and endless data hunts, marketers and business developers often find themselves buried under repetitive tasks that leave little room for creativity and strategic work.<\/p>\n In our latest report, The Future of AI & Innovation in AEC<\/em><\/a>, we found that 49% of AEC marketers struggle to access accurate project data quickly, and another 37% lose the most time searching for boilerplate content or past project data. It\u2019s no wonder so many professionals feel trapped in a cycle of rework instead of storytelling.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know you\u2019ve written something before, but finding it again could take forever. It\u2019s maddening when you realize you\u2019ve rewritten content that already existed.\u201d<\/strong> \u2014 Will Jovel, Head of Marketing and Business Development, Design Collective<\/em><\/p>\n The true cost of lost time<\/strong><\/p>\n Proposal inefficiency doesn\u2019t just waste hours \u2014 it steals focus. When 28% of proposal time is lost to internal reviews and edits, teams have less capacity for the high-impact work that wins projects: strategy, design, and storytelling.<\/p>\n At Design Collective, a nationally recognized architecture and design firm, the core proposal team \u2014 Will Jovel and Vanessa Zawodny \u2014 experienced this firsthand.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019d spend hours pulling together outlines, digging for resumes, or trying to remember which project narrative we used last time,\u201d<\/strong> said Vanessa Zawodny, Marketing Manager at Design Collective<\/em>. \u201cBy the time we were ready to compile everything, the deadline was already looming.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Despite having a wealth of data across their CRM, shared drives, and a digital asset management tool, the team experienced duplicated efforts and missed opportunities to reuse existing content on new pursuits. The challenge wasn\u2019t a lack of information; it was a lack of connection. And that\u2019s a problem many AEC marketers and business developers recognize. But across the industry, a shift is already underway.<\/p>\n From manual madness to momentum machine<\/strong><\/p>\n AEC marketers and business developers aren\u2019t standing still. An exciting 57% of firms are already using AI for proposal writing, and 44% see the greatest opportunity for future AI implementation in proposal writing and content creation.<\/p>\n That\u2019s where AI-powered proposal writing platforms can help. AEC teams should seek to connect data across systems to eliminate tedious manual work and expedite their proposal workflows whenever possible.<\/p>\n \u201cOur interest was piqued when we heard about a solution that could automatically read, organize, and summarize RFPs\u2014work smarter, not harder.\u201d<\/strong>\u2014 Vanessa Zawodny, Marketing Manager, Design Collective<\/em><\/p>\n When to let AI handle the heavy lifting<\/strong><\/p>\n In proposal workflows, the biggest time stems from repetitive administrative work: gathering boilerplate text, searching for past projects, and formatting content. AI is starting to take on these low-value tasks so you can focus on what actually shapes winning outcomes: crafting strategy, developing win themes, and refining narratives.<\/p>\n Across the firms surveyed in the Future of AI & Innovation in AEC<\/em><\/a> report, the most successful teams mentioned weaving AI capabilities into their daily workflows, using tools that automate outline creation, surface past proposal data, and centralize information across systems.<\/p>\n At Design Collective, those changes are already taking shape. By connecting existing systems \u2014 including their DAM and CRM \u2014 and introducing automation into the proposal process, the team was able to reduce time spent on data gathering and zone in on narrative development.<\/p>\n \u201cAI handles the heavy lifting so we can focus on strategy and storytelling.\u201d<\/strong> \u2014 Vanessa Zawodny, Marketing Manager, Design Collective<\/em><\/p>\n AI is phenomenal for helping busy teams alleviate mundane tasks and boost automation, but it\u2019s important to remember that artistry and nuance are where the AEC marketer and business developer remain irreplaceable.<\/p>\n The ripple effect of smarter AEC workflows<\/strong><\/p>\n Applying AI and connected data systems goes beyond speed; it\u2019s about clarity and collaboration. When routine proposal steps are streamlined, teams get the well-deserved space to think critically about messaging, client alignment, and pursuit strategy.<\/p>\n For example, Design Collective was able to reduce its time creating outlines from hours to minutes, <\/strong>making proposal data easier to locate while also improving collaboration between marketing and business development dramatically.<\/p>\n \u201c[AI] bridges the knowledge gap so we\u2019re not duplicating effort.\u201d<\/strong> \u2014 Vanessa Zawodny, Marketing Manager, Design Collective<\/em><\/p>\n Their experience echoes a broader industry shift. Many marketers in the Future of AI & Innovation in AEC<\/em><\/a> shared similar feedback, noting that AI features have saved them hours each week and helped them find \u201cthe exact imagery or content needed in minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n As AEC firms continue to experiment with AI, one important theme is emerging: the most innovative teams thoughtfully pair technology with human insight. AI thrives on patterns and data; marketers and business developers thrive on creativity and judgment. Together, they can create an environment where efficiency fuels imagination.<\/p>\n