Burns & McDonnell and Gritt have entered into a strategic partnership focused on evaluating and deploying AI-powered robotics technology on utility-scale solar projects.
The technology will help improve safety, enhance project predictability and support construction teams as demand for new energy infrastructure continues to grow.
Gritt combines AI and robotics to automate labor-intensive tasks on construction sites. The company builds intelligent systems that can be attached to standard construction equipment, which can then autonomously handle tasks like placing and assembling solar arrays, pouring concrete, and laying rebar.
The partnership brings together the integrated engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) capabilities of Burns & McDonnell with Gritt’s AI-powered software and robotics platform to create new opportunities and address labor challenges, improve efficiency, and advance innovation in solar construction.
Over the past year, Burns & McDonnell and Gritt have collaborated to evaluate robotic solar installation technologies in real-world construction environments. The companies have tested Gritt’s technology at multiple utility-scale solar sites.
Adam Bernardi, renewables business line director at Burns & McDonnell, says: “Solar construction is very repetitive work, lifting 80-pound modules day after day.
“As solar installations continue to grow in scale, we have an opportunity to leverage technology in ways that help our teams work safer, faster and smarter.
“By helping crews handle some of the most repetitive and physically demanding tasks, Gritt offers a solution that can improve safety while helping us deliver projects more predictably.”
Unlike robotics solutions designed for controlled factory environments, Gritt’s technology is built specifically for outdoor construction sites, where terrain, weather and site conditions can vary significantly.
The company’s AI-powered systems are designed to assist crews with repetitive installation activities while continuously learning from field operations.
Bernardi says: “We’re always looking for solutions that work in the real world. What stood out about Gritt wasn’t just the robotics.
“It was the intelligence behind it. Their ability to leverage equipment already familiar to construction teams — while continuously learning from field conditions — creates a solution that’s practical, scalable and designed for the realities of utility-scale construction. That’s what made this such a natural fit for us.”
The companies share a common perspective on the role of technology in construction. Robotics and AI are treated as tools that support and empower construction professionals, helping reduce exposure to repetitive and physically demanding tasks while enabling teams to focus on higher-value work.
Jami Stone, a construction project manager at Burns & McDonnell, says: “Construction has always been powered by skilled craft, and that isn’t changing.
“There will always be a human element to robotics. Learning how to operate, manage and work alongside these technologies helps expand construction professionals’ toolkit.”
Like any AI-powered technology, construction robotics becomes more capable through experience. Every deployment provides opportunities to better understand changing weather conditions, site logistics, terrain challenges and construction workflows.
That continuous learning process is what will help physical AI evolve from a promising technology into a practical tool capable of supporting large-scale infrastructure projects.
Stone says: “Construction sites are classrooms for physical AI. The more exposure these systems have to real-world field conditions, the more effectively they can support the people responsible for building these projects.”
Puneet Puri, CEO and co-founder of Gritt, says: “The future of construction won’t be humans or robots; it will be humans and robots working together. Our mission is to help civilization build infrastructure faster.
“Working alongside leading EPC firms like Burns & McDonnell allows us to deploy our technology in real project environments, learn from experienced builders and continuously improve the intelligence behind our systems.
“Together, we’re creating tools that can help the industry meet growing infrastructure demands while supporting the workforce that makes it all possible.”
Vishal Dugar, co-founder and CTO at Gritt, says: “We’re building our intelligence to integrate seamlessly into construction workflows that are already familiar to crews.
“Along with our emphasis on cutting-edge AI powering off-the-shelf equipment, this approach allows us to deploy and scale rapidly without requiring disruptive process changes. Partnering with firms like Burns & McDonnell helps us refine how we introduce new technology to the field.”
Burns & McDonnell believes the strategic partnership has the potential to support innovation across the broader infrastructure market as AI and robotics technologies are increasingly adopted.
Chad Cotter, vice president of construction at Burns & McDonnell, says: “What excites us about Gritt is their focus on applying AI and robotics to real-world construction challenges.
“While we’re currently deploying the technology in solar construction, the broader opportunity spans the full spectrum of critical infrastructure. We believe this partnership positions us to help shape the future of project delivery while continuing to improve safety, productivity and certainty for our clients.”
As demand for new energy infrastructure accelerates, the companies see this partnership as an early step toward a broader shift in how utility-scale solar gets built.
Facts Only
* Burns & McDonnell and Gritt entered into a strategic partnership focused on evaluating and deploying AI-powered robotics technology on utility-scale solar projects.
* The technology aims to improve safety, enhance project predictability, and support construction teams.
* Gritt combines AI and robotics to automate labor-intensive tasks on construction sites.
* Gritt builds intelligent systems attachable to standard construction equipment for autonomous task handling (e.g., placing arrays, pouring concrete, laying rebar).
* The partnership integrates Burns & McDonnell’s EPC capabilities with Gritt’s platform.
* The companies collaborated over the past year to test robotic solar installation technologies at multiple utility-scale solar sites.
* Adam Bernardi noted that solar construction involves repetitive work like lifting 80-pound modules daily.
* Gritt’s technology is designed for outdoor construction sites, accounting for variable terrain and weather conditions.
* Gritt’s AI systems continuously learn from field operations.
* Jami Stone stated that construction requires a human element, emphasizing that learning to operate these technologies expands the professional toolkit.
* Puneet Puri stated the future involves humans and robots working together to build infrastructure faster.
* Vishal Dugar noted that integrating AI into familiar workflows allows for rapid deployment without disruptive process changes.
* Chad Cotter expressed interest in Gritt's application across the full spectrum of critical infrastructure, not just solar construction.
Executive Summary
Burns & McDonnell and Gritt have entered a strategic partnership to evaluate and deploy AI-powered robotics technology for utility-scale solar projects. This technology aims to improve safety, enhance project predictability, and support construction teams amidst growing energy infrastructure demand. Gritt utilizes AI and robotics to automate labor-intensive tasks by building intelligent systems attachable to standard equipment, enabling autonomous handling of tasks such as placing solar arrays, pouring concrete, and laying rebar.
The collaboration integrates Burns & McDonnell’s engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) capabilities with Gritt’s AI-powered software and robotics platform to address labor challenges, boost efficiency, and drive innovation in solar construction. Evaluations have taken place over the past year at multiple utility-scale solar sites where the technology was tested.
Stakeholders across the partnership share a view that robotics and AI function as tools that augment human expertise rather than replace it, emphasizing the need for human skill in managing and operating these technologies. Experts suggest that real-world deployment allows physical AI to evolve by learning from site conditions, such as weather and terrain. The ultimate goal is to create tools that allow construction professionals to focus on higher-value work while safely handling repetitive or physically demanding tasks.
Full Take
The narrative centers on the transition from traditional craft-based construction methods to an augmented system where AI and robotics serve as adaptive tools for physical execution. The core tension lies between the efficiency gains offered by automation and the necessary integration of human skill, suggesting that value accrues not just from task execution but from managing the complexity inherent in real-world variability.
The argument implicitly positions experience—the "human element"—as a necessary crucible for technological maturity. When robotics are deployed in unpredictable outdoor environments, the learning cycle shifts from controlled factory settings to dynamic field conditions. This implies that the true innovation lies not solely in the robotic mechanism itself, but in the system's ability to absorb and interpret stochastic variables like weather and terrain to deliver practical results.
A deeper implication is the distribution of agency. If robotics successfully manage repetitive physical demands, the focus shifts to higher-level planning, oversight, and problem-solving. The risk here is that the efficiency drive could inadvertently sideline the necessity for continuous skill development among the workforce unless the integration model actively mandates that learning from field experience remains central to the process. The framework suggests a pattern where technological advancement necessitates a redefinition of what constitutes professional competence in infrastructure delivery.
Bridge Questions: If the goal is to evolve physical AI through real-world exposure, what mechanisms must be established to ensure that this "learning" translates into improved human decision-making rather than just automated execution? How should the valuation of expertise shift when task automation becomes highly effective on physically demanding sites? What governance structures are needed to manage the integration of evolving field intelligence back into standardized EPC protocols?
Sentinel — Human
The text reads like a legitimate press release or feature article detailing a B2B partnership, characterized by authentic stakeholder quotes and logical progression of ideas.