By Emma Peterson. 

Denver Riggleman shares his thoughts on how AI will impact jobs and the larger workforce. 

As AI and automation increasingly become present in our daily lives, a common concern is that these technologies will take jobs away from people. This type of concern is not new. Every time a new technology is introduced, people naturally have hesitation and fear how things will change. And it does change things; think about the now-obsolete jobs like switchboard operators and projectionists. But it’s also important to remember that the technology that took over for those roles also made new opportunities. 

To look at how AI might change our workplace, both in creating jobs and taking over certain roles, Heidi J. Ellsworth spoke with Denver Riggleman, the co-founder and CEO of Hootl, for an episode of Contractor Outlook all about AI.  

The honest truth is that AI might take away some jobs, just like how technological advancements over the years have changed the roles necessary for operation. Denver shared, “I'm going to be very blunt, AI will take jobs that automation can automate. Take call centers, for example. I would say in the next 15 to 20 years, they will be all AI regardless.” But at the same time, automation is also a powerful tool for enabling businesses to grow and hire more employees in other sectors. Denver explained:  

Say you ‘lose’ 10 jobs at the admin processing level because AI is automating the mundane tasks. You now have the payroll space to hire people or have the people that were working those jobs change focus to working on higher-skill level tasks. And then with more people working on those higher-level tasks, you’re able to expand your gross revenue with a higher margin. 

In other words, AI might take over certain roles. By taking those mundane and tedious tasks off of people’s plates, however, it allows them to work on high-level tasks that not only are more engaging for them but also can help your company grow. And company growth often goes hand-in-hand with hiring new employees.  

Listen to the whole episode or Watch the recording to hear more insights into the role of AI in our workforce. 

RIIG - HOOTL develops AI-driven solutions that streamline and automate critical workflows across the customer lifecycle.

We’re excited to share that RIIG - HOOTL is now a full member of the Roofing Alliance.

Joining this community marks an important step as we expand our presence in the roofing and broader field service industries. We look forward to collaborating with industry leaders, contributing to the Alliance’s mission and gaining deeper insight into where the market is heading.

At RIIG, we are actively working alongside leading data providers and industry partners to develop AI-driven solutions that streamline and automate critical workflows across the customer lifecycle, including lead generation, estimation and customer interaction.

To further support this effort, we are proud to welcome two new board advisors:

• Steve Little – head coach at KPost Company | Building Envelope Contractor and CEO of National Roofing Partners.
• Reed Gooding – CEO at GSM Roofing.

Their industry experience and leadership ensure our solutions remain grounded in real-world operational needs while accelerating adoption across the sector.

We believe the next wave of innovation in roofing will be driven by intelligent automation, better data utilization and seamless system integration, and we’re excited to help shape that future alongside the Alliance and its members.

Visit www.riigtech.com for more information.

By Emma Peterson. 

Denver Riggleman dives into how AI can be a lifesaving tool — and why improper use could expose sensitive business data.  

When we talk about AI, most conversations focus on the type of business management tasks it can manage. What is often overlooked is how AI can play a role in maximizing safety, on both sides of the coin. To learn more about the safety benefits and risks posed by AI, Heidi J. Ellsworth and Denver Riggleman sat down for an episode of Contractor Outlook Newscast all about AI.  

Denver is the co-founder and CEO of Hootl, a healthcare company that uses an AI model to improve the insurance workflows and reduce the number of denials. Prior to this, he worked in military intelligence, government and tech entrepreneurship. These experiences have given Denver a unique and informed perspective on both the benefits and risks of AI.  

Safety benefits 

Denver started the conversation talking about how AI can be used to improve safety regulations and measures, explaining, “AI can be used in tandem with cameras to help keep crews on the roof accountable...In a few years, I bet contractors could put up a two-camera mast on a tower on a building site with PPE detection quantified. It will automatically alert if it senses no PPE.” Would this be a perfect system? No, nothing is perfect. But Denver is the first to point out that you would still need a site manager to review for false alerts. But, as he put it, “Better false than dead.”   

Cybersecurity concerns 

While AI has the potential to save lives in terms of increasing use of PPE on job sites, it does come with its own risks. And, while not physical, cybersecurity is a huge concern. For one, most AI engines like Claude or ChatGPT are public. This means that information put into them is accessible to anyone else using the program.  

So, what should contractors who want to use AI do to make sure they are being safe? The first and most important thing is to have a cybersecurity training plan in place. Denver explained:  

You need to have somebody who looks at security of how every person at your company is using AI...From there, you need an AI trainer, someone who makes sure that everyone is using AI properly. For example, you don’t want to just get a personal ChatGPT account and start putting in proposal information from your company. That's public data and that data is actually parsed by the AI to utilize for other people. You need to have your own separate platform or program. AI trainers can help you get that. 

Overall, AI is a powerful, powerful tool. But it is just that, a tool. And like any tool, it comes with pros and cons. The key to successfully moving forward is knowing how to effectively leverage its benefits and minimize its downsides.  

Listen to the whole episode or Watch the recording with Denver to learn more about integrating AI in a safe manner.