Key facts
- Wan Bridge developed its own integrated, end-to-end AI business platform called AiWB.
- AiWB aims to connect workflows, systems, and stakeholders in the homebuilding process through automation.
- The platform manages site selection, design, estimating, bidding, procurement, scheduling, and field management.
- AiWB updates budget, bid packages, and payment schedules automatically when changes occur.
- Wan Bridge has invested $26 million in the AiWB platform.
- The company's home starts and completions increased 40%-50% year-over-year, while headcount decreased by 10% due to automation.
Texas-based build-to-rent (BTR) builder Wan Bridge has developed its own proprietary, integrated AI-powered technology platform, AiWB, to drive efficiencies across its operations and the broader BTR industry. Unlike many homebuilders that utilize third-party AI solutions for specific workflows, Wan Bridge has brought its AI development in-house.
Launched earlier this year, AiWB is designed to connect various stakeholders and workflows involved in homebuilding, from site selection and design to procurement and field management, through automation. This integrated approach aims to eliminate data silos and prevent issues like delays and payment disputes that arise from manual data correction when changes occur.
Wan Bridge has invested approximately $26 million in the platform. According to company data, AiWB has already contributed to the development of dozens of communities. The automation driven by AiWB has allowed Wan Bridge to increase its home starts and completions by 40% to 50% year-over-year, while simultaneously reducing its headcount by about 10%.
Wan Bridge Co-founder and President Ting Qiao stated that the ability to scale operations with fewer employees and make existing staff more efficient is particularly valuable for the cyclical homebuilding business. The company is also marketing AiWB to other BTR developers. Wan Bridge sees AI as a critical tool that constantly evolves and improves, enabling homebuilders to push operational boundaries and focus more on customer-facing tasks.