CSI Atlanta Events - CSI Atlanta Chapter

Calendar of Dinner Programs for 2026-27 scroll down for meeting details

September 14th – Niles Bolton presents on Student Housing

October 5th – Conspectus

November 2nd – B&PSE on Data Centers

December – Holiday Party

January 4th, 2027 – Construct Connect on Economic Forecast

February 1st – RDH on Mass Timber

March 1st – Georgia Tech/KSU/SCAD College Student Presemtation

March 31-April 2 – CSI Southeast Region Conference at the JW Marriott Buckhead

April 5th – Decorative Concrete Floors – Structural Services, Inc.

April – Spring Fling (date – TBD)

May 3rd – End of Year Chapter Awards

5:30 Tech Session with

Matt Johnson is the Sr AI Product Manager at RIB Software, bringing with him over 37 years of experience in product management, with a focus on products built-in support construction specifications. Matt has dedicated his efforts to advancing the capabilities of RIB platforms such as SpecLink and SpecLive and extending the functionality of both platforms to include a new suite of solutions for Building Product Manufacturers, enabling digital specification management and collaboration between specification reps. He previously had the role of CTO at MasterSpec and set up their original manufacturer program and technology stack.

Rational Optimism in the Age of AI: Keeping Design Professionals in Control

Most design professionals are meeting AI with understandable fear, but history suggests that pessimism about new technology has usually been wrong. Recent developments in the broader software economy show that as AI makes tools cheaper to build and copy, expertise, judgment, and accountability are becoming more valuable, not less. We’ll explore a framework for responsible AI in which the technology handles organizational and efficiency tasks while licensed professionals keep every decision. Attendees will leave with a practical, optimistic way to tell whether an AI tool expands their professional relevance or erodes it.

What You’ll Learn

Why resisting AI is rational and why that resistance may not hold. The adoption curve and the “prisoner’s dilemma” explain the industry’s response so far.
How Ridley’s Rational Optimism applies to our profession. Innovation has historically raised the value of specialized expertise rather than eliminated it.
What the Adobe cloning event signals. When software becomes cheap to copy, value moves to domain knowledge and judgment.
How to tell AI that replaces you from AI that supports you. Ask who decides, what the tool can change, and who is accountable.
Where AI can responsibly help in spec writing. Gap analysis, product library coordination, and master maintenance can all be automated without giving up control.

7pm Dinner Program: Lithia Springs Data Centers

This presentation provides an overview of the structural engineering considerations unique to data center design, including equipment and infrastructure demands, multidisciplinary coordination, and the integration of mission-critical systems. Through real-world case studies, attendees will gain insight into common project challenges, lessons learned, and best practices that can be applied to future data center developments.

Aaron Grubbs, PE serves as a Principal and Engineering Supervisor at Bennett & Pless, providing leadership for complex structural engineering projects across a variety of markets, including mission critical facilities. Throughout his career, he has partnered with clients, architects, and contractors to deliver thoughtful, high-performing solutions that balance innovation, efficiency, and long-term value. Aaron is recognized for his technical leadership, collaborative approach, and dedication to developing both people and projects for lasting success.