We build AI tools and custom software
for mid-market operators.
Construction, agriculture, higher education: industries where the work has more moving parts than most software was built to handle. We’ve been doing this from Madison since 1999. Some of our earliest clients are still with us.
Since 1999
Building custom software from Madison.
Three
Industries we know cold: construction, agriculture, higher education.
One
Practice across all of them: understand the client’s world first, then build what fits.
Where the work lives
Adoption is where projects die. That’s where we spend the second half of every engagement.
Most firms hand over a working tool and call the engagement done. We’re still there in month four, watching how the team actually uses it, training, adjusting, making sure the new way of working has replaced the old one. That’s the part that compounds.
The pattern we see
Most AI efforts don’t fail because the technology is wrong. They fail because the organization wasn’t ready.
A tool gets purchased. Logins get handed out. Six months later, almost nobody is using it, or a handful of power users have figured it out and the rest of the team is back to spreadsheets and email. The pattern is consistent across industries. It’s not a technology gap. It’s the gap between having a tool and knowing how to make it part of how the team works day to day.
That gap is the work. It’s where we spend most of our time.
AI is a capability your organization builds, not a product you buy.
How We Help
Three areas of work, one engagement
Most engagements combine all three. We name where you’d start, and why.
01
Custom AI agents and assistants
We build AI that lives inside your business. Assistants that search decades of project history and return sourced answers in seconds. Agents that handle the back-office work: pulling data from your CRM, drafting status updates, watching for the email that needs a response. Quietly, in the background, on the systems you already use.
02
AI training
Most companies hand their team an AI tool and call that adoption. It isn’t. We work with leadership and the people doing the work to align on what AI is for, train teams in their actual workflows, and stay close while new habits form.
03
Custom software and systems integration
AI sits on top of software. When the underlying systems are disconnected, AI inherits that mess. We build the custom applications, integrations, and infrastructure that make AI useful in the first place.
How an engagement runs
Three phases, in plain language. The part most firms skip is the second half.
Phase 1
First two weeks
We shadow.
We sit with the people doing the work before we touch a model. We look at the systems they use, the steps they skip, the decisions that take too long. Most of what we learn here changes the original scope.
Phase 2
Weeks three to eight
We build the smallest thing that proves the point.
Not a pilot deck. A working tool one team uses. Iterative delivery, frequent check-ins, working software in front of real users early.
Phase 3
After launch
We stay.
Adoption is where projects die, so that’s where we spend the second half of the engagement. Training, adjusting, and watching how the work changes. The capability we set out to build only counts when it’s running on its own.
What clients say about the work
I am thrilled to express my gratitude for Earthling's exceptional partnership. Their dedication to accessibility and user experience is truly commendable. Earthling Interactive’s expertise and commitment to our mission have made this project a resounding success. We look forward to continuing our collaboration in the future!
Addie T
Since 2016, Earthling has been pivotal in designing, building, updating, and overseeing our bespoke accounting web application and its supporting system, significantly enhancing operational efficiency and financial oversight across our organization.
Danyel C
Since 2012, Earthling Interactive has been an integral part of our team. Their expertise in designing and developing our web and mobile applications has surpassed expectations. They grasp our business needs and translate them into effective digital solutions.
Jared W Liquid FreightThe gap doesn’t have to keep growing.
The first step is understanding where the leverage is in your specific situation. We’ll be honest about whether we’re the right team to help.