A concrete vision: Saint-Gobain and Microsoft Discovery build for the future
Saint-Gobain and Microsoft used AI to accelerate research into lower-carbon cement additives, cutting analysis time from a year to hours and reducing construction waste by 30%.
Saint-Gobain, a 359-year-old construction materials company, has partnered with Microsoft to apply AI in reducing the carbon footprint of cement, which accounts for 7% of global CO2 emissions. Researchers used Microsoft Discovery, an AI-powered platform, to analyze 62,000 patents and 44,000 abstracts in hours, a task that would typically take a year without AI. The collaboration, which began in March 2024, enabled the team to generate and test new cement additive hypotheses within six weeks, significantly speeding up innovation. The project highlights the potential of AI to transform traditional industries by accelerating research and reducing environmental impact.
Microsoft Discovery, a new AI agentic platform, allowed Saint-Gobain’s team to orchestrate AI agents for literature review, hypothesis generation, and experimental design. The platform was fine-tuned in collaboration with Microsoft’s Frontier Company, which embeds engineers within client organizations to deliver AI-driven solutions. This partnership underscores Microsoft’s expanding role in industrial decarbonization efforts. The platform’s capabilities were demonstrated in Saint-Gobain’s efforts to develop sustainable construction materials.
Saint-Gobain has implemented a digital cut-to-order system for plaster board delivery, reducing landfill waste by optimizing material cuts based on building information models. The system improved installation time by 30%, demonstrating how digital tools can enhance efficiency and sustainability in construction. Ursula Soritsch-Renier, Saint-Gobain’s chief digital and information officer, emphasized the company’s commitment to reducing its 40% share of global carbon emissions through technology. The framework agreement signed in July 2024 aims to accelerate sustainable material and process development.
Saint-Gobain appointed Annica Hagen as its first chief artificial intelligence officer in September 2024 to lead AI integration across the company. Hagen will work alongside Soritsch-Renier to align AI with the company’s strategic goals, building on the success of projects like the cement additive research. The move reflects Saint-Gobain’s broader push to leverage AI for innovation, efficiency, and sustainability in construction materials.