AI isn’t here to replace pipeline inspectors, it’s here to make them faster, more accurate, and more effective. In this episode, we sit down with Chris Koch, co-founder of Switzerland-based AI company Palin, to discuss how Europe’s advanced approach to sewer inspection data is paving the way for smarter, more efficient infrastructure management in North America.
With roots in environmental engineering and computer science, Palin developed a hybrid system that blends machine intelligence and human verification to drastically improve inspection accuracy while solving critical labor and data-quality challenges facing the industry.
Chris shares the company’s global lessons, why European methodologies set a high bar, and how Palin supports U.S. and Canadian contractors and engineers in delivering faster, more reliable pipeline data without disrupting existing software or workflows.
Host: Suzan Chin-Taylor | Guest: Chris Koch
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Watch on Youtube:
What You’ll Learn:
- Why sewer inspection accuracy matters more than ever
- How Palin built an AI-driven model rooted in engineering + field reality
- The surprising subjectivity of manual PACP coding
- Why AI still needs human oversight and always will
- Europe’s approach vs. North America’s needs
- The role of AI in solving skilled-labor shortages
- How integration, not replacement accelerates adoption
- Real-world success stories and industry adoption in the U.S. & Canada
Key Discussion Points:
- Defect identification accuracy: humans vs. machines
- Reducing subjectivity and fatigue in coding sewer data
- Using AI to increase footage processed per day and not eliminate operators
- The “AI + human reviewer” quality-assurance model
- Seamless data pipeline with no new inspection software required
- Partnerships with industry platforms like PipeTech & Rhino Vision
- Why the future is hybrid: automation + expert human verification
Connect With Chris Koch:
Founder: Pallon
Email: christian.koch@pallon.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christiankoch3/
Website: pallon.com
Conclusion:
This episode highlights how innovation and experience work best side by side. As AI transforms pipeline inspection, the most powerful results come from combining human expertise with machine precision — not replacing one with the other. With a hybrid model rooted in real-world field practice and proven European success, Palin demonstrates that better data, faster workflows, and stronger infrastructure decisions are already within reach. As the industry faces labor shortages and growing infrastructure demands, embracing smart technology is no longer optional, it’s the key to staying efficient, accurate, and competitive. The future of inspection isn’t just AI, it’s AI powered by skilled people who understand the value beneath our feet.
Until next time—keep growing, and keep it flowing. 💧
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Connect with Suzan Chin-Taylor, host of The DooDoo Diva’s Smells Like Money Podcast:
Website: www.creativeraven.com | https://thetuitgroup.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/creativeraven/
Email: raven@creativeraven.com
Telephone: +1 760-217-8010
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