Granite’s new artificial intelligence learning platform, Granite Asphalt Guru, was honored with the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) Innovation of the Year Award at the AGC Annual Convention in Columbus, Ohio.
AGC awarded second place to LIFTbuild of Southfield, Michigan, for their vertical manufacturing innovation. Old Fashioned, LLC, of Columbus, Ohio, received third place for their structured, apprenticeship-based immigration approach.
In final judging for AGC’s 2025 Innovation Awards, Daniel Mekis, CI Project Manager, and Olivia McNary, Data Analyst, from Granite, headquartered in Watsonville, California, presented the Asphalt Guru platform to a panel of 11 judges, earning recognition for their role in capturing expert knowledge and delivering tailored training for asphalt paving professionals.
Asphalt Guru leverages an expanding internal knowledge base that includes 900 pages of interview transcripts and thousands of documents. By integrating external data such as Occupational Safety and Health Administration injuries, department of transportation standards, industry articles, and more, Asphalt Guru supports employees at all levels by answering technical questions, offering interactive training, and simplifying complex concepts, the company said.
More than 400 Granite employees have already used the platform, which has answered more than 1,000 questions. It is now integrated into the company’s Asphalt Basics e-learning program and is also available via mobile devices in the field.
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“This award reflects Granite’s commitment to innovation and empowering our teams,” McNary said.
Mekis added, “It’s an honor to be recognized for a tool that preserves the expertise of our paving professionals. Their knowledge and experience are intangible assets for the company; finding a way to preserve and share it with future generations of construction professionals will provide value for decades.”
StackAI is the provider of the Asphalt Guru platform and Granite worked closely with them on the AI journey.
Photo courtesy of Granite.
