Enterprise construction platform Kahua has launched a new AI assistant designed to help owners and project delivery teams automate workflows, improve reporting visibility and manage capital programmes within a governed project management environment.
The new assistant, called Noa, is powered by Kahua AI, the company’s embedded intelligence layer, and is designed to operate directly within Kahua’s construction management platform rather than as a standalone AI tool.
The launch reflects a broader shift across the construction and infrastructure sectors as organisations move beyond isolated AI applications toward integrated enterprise-wide platforms capable of supporting large-scale programme delivery.
AI adoption shifts toward integrated project delivery
While AI tools have rapidly entered the construction sector over the past two years, many have focused on narrow use cases such as document search, field reporting or productivity automation.
Kahua is positioning Noa differently, focusing on how AI can support governance, programme controls and operational visibility across complex capital projects.
“AI in construction is moving away from standalone point solutions towards unified enterprise platforms, where automation and agent-based capabilities are directly embedded into core workflows,” said Sophie Planken-Bichler, Industry Analyst at Verdantix.
“The next phase of innovation will be defined less by individual AI features and more by how effectively intelligence is embedded into day-to-day capital programme execution.”
For project leaders, that distinction matters. As infrastructure portfolios become more data-intensive, organisations are increasingly looking for AI tools that can operate securely inside existing project management and governance systems rather than creating additional disconnected workflows.
Automating manual project management processes
According to Kahua, Noa is designed to reduce administrative burden across construction and capital delivery teams by automating routine project tasks directly within the platform.
The assistant can support activities including:
- Search and summarisation
- Record retrieval
- Content extraction
- Reporting
- RFIs and submittals
- Workflow support
- Application creation
One of the platform’s more significant capabilities is its ability to convert spreadsheets and disconnected data into live workflows inside the project environment.
For project professionals, this addresses one of the industry’s longstanding operational problems: fragmented project data spread across emails, spreadsheets and disconnected software tools.
AI governance becomes a growing concern
A major focus of the launch is governance and security.
As AI adoption accelerates across construction, many organisations remain cautious about how project data is accessed, processed and stored — particularly across large capital programmes involving sensitive commercial, contractual and operational information.
Noa operates inside Kahua’s existing system-of-record environment, meaning project teams can use AI functionality without moving information into external platforms.
“The Kahua platform has always been highly configurable to the diverse ways construction projects actually work,” said Scott Unger, CEO of Kahua.
“Noa brings AI into the system of record so teams can navigate complexity and change with intelligence that’s built on their existing project data, inside the platform where they already collaborate and manage their work.”
That focus on governed AI is becoming increasingly important as construction owners seek to balance innovation with compliance, accountability and data protection requirements.
Natural language workflows enter construction management
Another notable feature is Noa Creates, which allows users to build applications and workflows using natural language prompts inside Kahua’s kBuilder Canvas environment.
This reflects a wider trend across enterprise software where generative AI is beginning to reduce reliance on traditional coding and software configuration.
For construction organisations, this could potentially lower barriers to workflow customisation and reduce dependency on specialist development resources.
Instead of commissioning bespoke software changes, project teams may increasingly be able to create operational tools directly inside their project management environments.
Capital programme management enters a new phase
The launch also highlights how capital programme management itself is evolving.
Historically, many project management systems focused heavily on reporting and documentation. Increasingly, however, platforms are being expected to deliver real-time operational intelligence capable of supporting faster decision-making across portfolios.
Ben Bohmann, Associate Director of Design & Construction at University of Colorado Anschutz, said AI integration within the PMIS environment could significantly improve operational efficiency.
“We are embracing AI across our organization and are realizing meaningful value from how our teams are applying it to address everyday challenges,” Bohmann said.
“With AI embedded in our PMIS, our teams will better leverage project data and operate more effectively, driving efficiencies that keep us focused on meeting customer expectations and delivering high-quality outcomes.”
Construction AI competition intensifies
Kahua’s announcement comes as competition intensifies across the growing construction AI market.
Project technology providers are increasingly racing to integrate AI capabilities into scheduling, cost management, procurement, field reporting and risk management systems as owners and contractors seek productivity gains amid rising project complexity and labour shortages.
For project professionals, the industry appears to be entering a new phase where AI is becoming less of a standalone innovation and more of a core operational layer embedded across programme delivery.
The challenge now will be whether these tools can move beyond demonstrations and pilot projects to deliver measurable improvements in cost control, reporting accuracy, delivery speed and decision-making across live capital programmes.
