Full Sail Partners Blog

If you’ve been hearing the terms “traditional AI” and “generative AI” thrown around like confetti lately but still aren’t quite sure what the difference is—you're not alone. And don’t worry, we’re here to break it down without the robot-speak. 🤖💬 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming how we work, analyze data, and make decisions—and the A&E industry is no exception. Whether it’s optimizing project schedules, identifying risks before they become disasters, or simply helping your marketing team write that next proposal (hello, ChatGPT!), AI tools are becoming part of our everyday toolkit. 

But before you plug in and power up, let’s pump the brakes and understand that not all AI is created equal. Specifically, there’s a big difference between Traditional AI (a.k.a. Machine Learning) and the newer kid on the block, Generative AI. 

Let’s explore how each type of AI functions, what problems they solve, and how your firm might benefit from using both. 

Traditional AI: The "What Happened and What Should We Do About it?" Kind of Smart

Traditional AI—often powered by Machine Learning (ML)—is great at looking at your firm’s past to make sense of what might happen in the future.

Describe - What Happened?

Traditional AI thrives on data. It aggregates and mines historical information to tell you what’s already occurred—think time-entry patterns, project budget overruns, or marketing campaign performance.

Predict - What Could Happen?

Using statistical models and algorithms, this kind of AI can forecast outcomes. For example, it might tell you: “Hey, based on the last 20 projects of this type, you're probably going to go over budget by 10%.” Super helpful? Absolutely. Magic? Not quite.

Prescribe - What Should We Do?

This is where traditional AI begins to nudge into decision-making territory. It might recommend a staffing shift, suggest delaying a milestone, or adjust workload distribution to keep your projects on track. It’s not doing the work for you—but it’s definitely acting like that smart friend who always has great advice.

Bottom line: Traditional AI is your data whisperer. It’s about understanding patterns and helping you make smarter decisions based on them.

Generative AI: The “Let’s Create Something New” Powerhouse

Generative AI is like Traditional AI’s artsy cousin who can write, draw, build presentations, and even automate tasks based on what you tell them. It’s creative, dynamic, and frankly, kind of a showoff—but in a good way. 😎

Input - What to Create

With Generative AI, you start with a prompt. “Write a project summary,” “Draft an email to a client,” or “Build a training outline for new hires.” Your input kicks off the magic.

Collect - Synthesize Data

Generative AI taps into massive amounts of data and language models—often including your firm’s own info if integrated correctly—to create highly relevant and customized outputs. The more specific the input and data source, the better the results.

Generate - On Demand Content

This is where the tool really shines. It produces original content—proposals, reports, schedules, even social media captions (wink)—saving you and your team hours of manual work.

Automate - Take Action for the User

Unlike Traditional AI that just offers recommendations, Generative AI can actually do the thing. It can distribute content, send reminders, automate workflows—all based on what you’ve selected or approved. It’s like having an extra team member that never sleeps (but also doesn’t drink your office coffee).

Bottom line: Generative AI is about creation and automation. It’s not just analyzing the past—it’s helping you build the future, faster.

So… What Is Deltek Doing About AI?

Now that we’ve laid the groundwork for what AI is and how it’s evolving, you might be wondering: “Cool, but how is this actually being used in Deltek Vantagepoint?”

Deltek’s approach to AI isn’t just about chasing trends or flashing shiny new tools. It’s what they call purposeful innovation—applying AI and machine learning in strategic, practical, and real-world-useful ways across the project lifecycle.

Here’s how that shows up in Vantagepoint:

• Task Automation – Think of those annoying, repetitive tasks that eat up your team's time—like updating records, running reports, or tracking hours. Deltek is automating them to free up your staff for more meaningful work.
• Boosting Productivity – AI helps your teams find information faster, so they can make quicker decisions, deliver better projects, and yes—even improve your cash flow.
• Simplifying Workflows – Instead of 6 steps to complete a routine task, AI tools are reducing it to 2 or 3. Less friction = more momentum.
• Reducing Risk – Manual data entry and one-person knowledge silos are risky business. With automation, Deltek removes some of that human error (and the stress that comes with it).
• Enabling Strategic Decision Making – With better insights, cleaner data, and fewer time-consuming tasks, you and your team can focus on what really matters—making smart, strategic moves.

And here's the kicker: just because you can use a trendy new tech doesn’t mean you should. Deltek’s focus is on making their products easier to use, not more complicated.

So, the next time you hear someone talking about flashy AI features from a competitor, just remember: ✨Does it actually make your day easier, your work better, or your firm more profitable?✨

That’s the litmus test. And that’s what Deltek is aiming for.

Smarter Projects Start with Smarter AI

AI isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a real opportunity to make your teams more productive, your workflows simpler, and your decisions more strategic. Whether it's traditional AI helping you predict what’s coming next or generative AI creating on-demand content to lighten your workload, there’s no denying the impact these tools can have on the AEC industry.

And the best part? You don’t have to figure it out alone.

Deltek is approaching AI with intention—focusing on purposeful innovation that supports your entire project lifecycle, not just flashy features. From automating time-consuming tasks to reducing risk and empowering your teams with better insights, AI is here to help you work smarter, not harder.

🎥 Want to see it in action?

Check out our on-demand webinar: AI Solutions for Vantagepoint: Enabling Next-Level Productivity to explore how these tools are already making a difference for project-based firms like yours.

Let’s turn that AI curiosity into real results. 👇