Our founder, Thomas Toftgaard Jarloev, recently joined Cal Blair on the Inside Commissioning podcast for a conversation titled "Adopt or Lose: AI, Tooling & the Future of Commissioning Teams." Over 38 minutes, the two dig into how AI, modern software, and digital workflows are reshaping the commissioning industry, and what that means for the teams doing the work on the ground.
From electrician to software founder
Thomas's path into commissioning didn't start with software. He started as an electrician in Denmark, working switchboards, thermal cameras, and turnover packages on the job site. Years of managing projects in Excel and Microsoft Project eventually pushed him to build something better, which became CxPlanner.
That background is why Thomas approaches AI the way he does. He's not a software executive theorizing about the field. He's spent 15 years in it, and he built CxPlanner because he felt the friction firsthand.
Why spreadsheets can't keep up
A big part of the conversation centers on the limits of spreadsheets on large, mission-critical projects. As data center construction accelerates, the scale and pace of commissioning work has outgrown the tools most teams still rely on. Cal and Thomas talk through why this is pushing the industry to modernize faster than it has in years past, and why data centers specifically are becoming the proving ground for new commissioning technology.
AI as a tool, not a replacement
Thomas has been consistent on this point for years: AI is a tool, not the operator. In the episode, he and Cal discuss how AI can automate documentation, testing, and asset management, without replacing the engineers who make the professional judgment calls. The technology removes the repetitive admin work. The commissioning professional still decides what matters.
That's the same philosophy behind CxAI, built into CxPlanner: AI reads the data, drafts the report, and flags what needs attention. The commissioning expert makes the final call.
What commissioning teams will look like in five years
The conversation also looks ahead. Thomas and Cal discuss what leaner, higher-skilled commissioning teams might look like as AI becomes part of everyday project delivery, and why standardized commissioning processes are still missing across many data center operators today. It's a candid look at where the industry is headed, not just where it is now.
The takeaway
The episode's title says it plainly: adopt or lose. Teams that embrace AI-assisted workflows are already delivering faster, with fewer errors, and less overtime. The firms that adopt AI today will be the ones leading the industry tomorrow.
Listen to the full episode above, or find Inside Commissioning wherever you get your podcasts.
Learn more about CxAI or book a free demo to see it in action.