Why Trimble’s VP of Technology Innovation Embraces Chaos while Reducing Friction

In this episode of The New Automation Mindset, Markus Zirn is joined by Aviad Almagor, VP of Technology Innovation at Trimble, to speak about how the nearly 50-year-old company is integrating predictive and generative AI into its global operations. They explore how Trimble went from using ML for infrastructure analysis to deploying GenAI-powered agents across design, product development, and internal workflows. Aviad shares real-world examples of some of the innovations his team leads and discusses what makes AI pilots succeed or fail.—Guest BioAviad Almagor is a product and technology innovation leader with more than 25 years of experience at the intersection of industrial sectors—spanning Architecture, Engineering, Construction & Operations (AECO), transportation, agriculture, and geospatial—and cutting-edge technologies. Trained as an architect, Aviad transitioned early into 3D design and disruptive digital tools, eventually pioneering large-scale adoption of mixed reality, robotics, and AI in these industries.Today, as Vice President of Technology Innovation at Trimble, Aviad leads global initiatives that connect the physical and digital worlds—helping these industries become more productive, efficient, and sustainable.—Guest Quote"The big value is not in doing what we do today more efficiently or faster. The big value is in the redefinition of the work. The way we’re working with an agent, this is something that will evolve, and we need to design for that." – Aviad Almagor—Time Stamps  00:00 Episode Start02:50 The history of Trimble05:00 Setting higher standards for your data08:05 Building trust in your data11:20 Embrace complexity, reduce friction16:00 The importance of IT / Business collaboration20:15 Trimble's journey implementing AI efforts23:55 Overcoming resistance to new tools27:20 Specific examples of AI transformations31:10 What stands in the way of AI adoption38:10 The future for both predictive and generative AI44:45 Aviad's advice for other CIOs—Episode Key TakeawaysCulture accelerates transformation: Trimble's collaborative, innovation-first culture enables bottom-up AI exploration, leading to enterprise-wide adoption. Executive support, psychological safety, and shared outcomes are essential to scale cross-functional AI teams.Think beyond productivity: AI’s value isn’t just in speeding up tasks, it’s in transforming how work gets done. GenAI can open creative workflows, reimagine design collaboration, and personalize user experiences.Predictive AI and GenAI work best together: Predictive models offer consistent, domain-specific analysis where GenAI adds creativity, natural interaction, and automation. When integrated, they can power end-to-end, intelligent workflows. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.