Digital Construction Report 2025

Digital Construction Report 2025 reveals rapid rise of AI and shift in industry mindset

The 15th Digital Construction Report from NBS, published on 15 October 2025, presents evidence of a major digital shift across the UK construction sector. Based on responses from more than 550 industry professionals, the 2025 report suggests the industry has reached a digital tipping point, with artificial intelligence (AI) becoming a mainstream tool and attitudes toward technology changing rapidly.

Five years ago, fewer than one in ten construction professionals reported using AI in their work. Today, more than two in five respondents say they use AI tools regularly. The technology is most commonly applied to searching for technical information, drafting and reviewing text, and analysing project data.

This widespread adoption has led to a significant change in professional attitudes. Almost 60% of respondents expressed concern that their organisation risks falling behind if it does not keep up with digital innovation, a marked rise from just over a third in 2023. Despite this, confidence in the industry’s overall digital progress has grown. For the first time, more than half of professionals believe that construction is no longer lagging behind other sectors in adopting digital technologies.

Environmental factors are also driving greater use of digital tools. Nearly two-thirds of respondents now use software to assess energy and water demand, almost double the proportion from two years ago. This increase reflects the sector’s response to new sustainability and regulatory requirements, including the forthcoming Future Homes Standard and the introduction of Digital Product Passports.

The most common applications of AI among architects, engineers, and specifiers are:

Searching for technical information.
Drafting and reviewing text.
Analysing project data.

Dr Stephen Hamil, Innovation Director at NBS, commented: "The rise in Artificial Intelligence defines this year’s findings, revealing a remarkable transformation. What we're seeing is no longer about whether to adopt new technologies, but how quickly organisations can embrace them. This psychological shift represents a pivotal moment for our industry."

The full NBS Digital Construction Report 2025 is available for download now, here.