Empowering construction with AI integration

[edit] AI is everywhere

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, you can’t seem to move without hearing about artificial intelligence. Whether it is the impressive things ChatGPT can do or the doom-mongering that robots are taking over, AI is everywhere. But love it or hate it, AI isn’t just a buzz phrase; it is becoming a big part of our future, and we must adapt accordingly.

Applying this to the built environment sector, a study by McKinsey highlights construction as one of the biggest industries in the world, but historically among the slowest to digitise and innovate. Despite this, given the innovation of work involved in construction, it is in a prime position to benefit from embracing this new technology. Think less about ‘taking jobs’ and more about boosting productivity. AI can relieve users of their administrative burdens and support them in their day-to-day tasks. Here I will show you how.

[edit] Where AI and construction meet

From the moment a building is pitched by a client to long after practical completion, the construction process requires and deals with huge swathes of data. Lengthy contracts, rounds of architectural drawings and designs, thousands of tender submissions, supplier quotes (RFQs), scope of works and bills of material quantities; the list is endless.

The opportunity to analyse and identify areas for improvement lies within this collated information, paving the way for greater automation, from planning, design and construction to enhanced safety or precise job estimations.

Within these datasets lies the gold. With AI technology, we can collect insights, such as why a project was a success or why it was a failure. By looking at data from past projects, we can duplicate the similarities, focusing on our strengths and spotting differences in our current projects.

At EstimateOne, we have been using AI-like pattern recognition for years, in our case to help subcontractors find specific keywords in page-heavy documents and to auto-recommend superseding documents, so that only the most relevant and up-to-date information is referred to. Done properly, it can lead us to a future where we work faster and smarter while creating safer buildings in the process.

[edit] The human touch

One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding this type of tech is that it is going to replace jobs. Construction is fundamentally a human-first profession, requiring years of on-the-job knowledge and experience. At its heart, the sector runs on relationships, not stats and figures.

If you are doing your job in construction solo behind the keyboard, chances are you are not doing it right. Every building, from inception to completion, results from interpersonal relationships and good communication; something AI cannot replicate. For those still unsure, we need to remember that the likes of Siri and ChatGPT have been designed explicitly to improve, not replace, our daily functions.

[edit] New horizons

By embracing innovation and tapping into AI’s potential, we can make construction more efficient, sustainable, and collaborative than ever before. We can automate data collection, analysis and decision-making on a level not yet seen, allowing construction professionals to focus on more critical tasks.

By leveraging AI-powered systems, workers can save time, reduce errors and complete projects more efficiently; exactly what the sector needs to get back on its feet. But to get there it must overcome a vital hurdle: to embrace technology rather than reject it. As well as daily use of digital tech and increased levels of training, companies also need to foster a data-first approach.

Eventually, AI will become embedded into the DNA of construction. Those who choose to embrace it now will have the most to gain.

Ths article appears in the AT Journal summer issue no 150 as "Empowering construction with AI integration" and was written by Simon Herod, International Manager, EstimateOne.

--CIAT

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