Like almost every other industry, artificial intelligence stands poised to transform the way the built environment operates. But while generative AI tools like ChatGPT are a reasonably novel addition, other forms of the technology have been making major impacts in the construction sector for some time.
AI tools are already helping industry professionals with many use cases across the lifecycle of a project or asset – improving design, planning, safety, quality, sustainability, and productivity as a whole. The tech can handle the more monotonous tasks, allowing us to be more productive and creative with how we work.
Autodesk’s recent State of Design & Make Report found that AI is shaping business transformation across industries as trust in the technology grows, with almost two-thirds (61%) of construction leaders surveyed saying they are approaching or have achieved their goal of incorporating AI into their operations. Businesses are already using it to increase productivity and automate work, and leaders predict that generative AI will help people make critical design decisions about physical products, buildings, and digital assets in the next few years.
AI is a key driver of digital transformation across AECO and in parallel, enables digital acceleration for companies to continually evolve and adapt to achieve their desired business outcomes.
I’m particularly excited about the way AI can level the playing field. It has the potential to bring construction’s tech capabilities up to speed with other, more digitally native industries, and also gives smaller firms access to the same game-changing tools as their heavyweight counterparts. A world where companies of all sizes can get the benefit of AI means more competition, more innovation and ultimately better outputs.
Augmenting a stretched workforce
Construction firms are faced with an aging workforce, attrition, and a well-publicized skills gap. According to the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), the industry recruited 200,000 new workers in the UK last year, but still experienced a net talent loss, with 210,000 leaving. The speed of digitalization is only widening this skills gap, with organizations vying for a limited pool of the best tech talent.
It’s no surprise then that 36% of industry leaders we surveyed in our report said supplementing a skills gap was a key use case for AI within their business. As workforces get leaner, businesses see AI’s potential to help manage workloads on smaller teams, free up employees for more meaningful and creative work, and plug talent shortfalls. While it doesn’t solve the core problem, AI will enable the brilliant people in our industry to achieve even more by augmenting and supporting their talents, and expertise.
When it comes to the successful implementation of AI in construction, having a skilled and knowledgeable workforce is key, so construction professionals will need to be trained on the tech, data analysis, and a multitude of systems to effectively use it on their projects. This requires a commitment to ongoing education and upskilling within the industry. The closer people are to understanding the benefits and risks of AI, the less inclined they’ll be to think that it will replace what they do, rather seeing its potential to augment and enhance our work.
A foundation of data excellence
Before adopting more complex technologies like AI, construction firms need the foundation of a solid digital and data strategy in order to produce truly actionable insights. Autodesk’s recent report with Deloitte, surveying construction leaders in 12 different countries, showed that those considered ‘data leaders’ were seven times more likely to deploy AI and machine learning solutions. The good news is that the UK has the highest share of data leaders (18%) of the five European countries analyzed, indicating the importance of data across UK construction.
But while the benefits of data leadership are clear, several challenges are hindering the widespread adoption of data-driven practices in construction. One significant barrier is data fragmentation. According to the Deloitte report, 43% of UK construction leaders reported that their organizations were storing data on too many different platforms, leading to difficulties in integrating and analyzing information. Using tools like a Common Data Environment (CDE) significantly helps businesses by providing a centralized, integrated and standardized platform for data management. This ensures project data is clean, well-organized and readily available for AI deployment.
Making AI work for the construction industry
The potential for AI to address some of construction’s most pressing challenges is enormous. We need to embrace AI and what it can offer to augment and enhance our working lives, while ensuring we don’t become overly reliant on it, which could lead to a drop in standards or quality of workmanship. This is why regulation and companies implementing guidance is crucial.
The impact of AI on the workforce is a topic of both excitement and anxiety. The risky and costly nature of most construction processes means that even the smallest of errors can have huge implications. As a result, there is often little appetite to move away from the traditionally known, tried, and tested ways of doing things, even when these innovative technologies have the potential to deliver substantial rewards.
By having a solid foundation of data leadership and management, and taking an approach to AI that puts our amazing people at the heart of it, AI can be a launchpad for the construction industry to reach new heights.
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