The cost of inefficient communication in our industry is staggering. Before COVID, before inflation, the annual cost of rework in the United States was 31 billion dollars.[i] In the US, rework directly caused by poor project data accounts for 48% of the total quantity of rework.[ii] Not only does rework waste money and create increased risks to safety and quality, it also imposes an unnecessary cost on the environment. According to ZERO, an industry collective working towards net zero construction, as much as 5% of the sector’s emissions can be attributed to rework.[iii] Eliminating the common and avoidable errors that result in rework.

That’s where artificial intelligence comes in. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is about using technology to convert data into meaningful information. The data is no longer collected or generated only by human input. The internet has evolved from an environment for humans to communicate with each other, to a tool that enables communication between multiple objects and humans, creating a smart environment. It has the potential for improving decision-making by providing more information, and more accurate information, to design and construction professionals, ultimately enhancing their decision-making. AI tools that can help improve efficiency include tools to compare plans and specifications to make sure the correct information gets to the right people on time, AI-powered progress tracking, AI-powered safety monitoring, and AI-powered analytics. AI can be used to analyze data from a variety of sources to identify trends and patterns. For example, AI can be used to analyze data on material deliveries to identify potential delays.

Construction is about managing complexities and the lasting value of AI technologies in construction will be how well they help us to manage those complexities and improve processes, productivity, quality, safety, and sustainability. 

To take a deeper dive into this topic, I recommend reading Sofiat O. Abioye a, et al. “Artificial Intelligence in the Construction Industry: A Review of Present Status, Opportunities and Future Challenges.” Journal of Building Engineering, Elsevier, 5 Oct. 2021.
​Available at www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352710221011578#cebib0010. Accessed 11 Oct. 2023.​

It’s time to stop asking how AI is or will be used in the design and construction industry. The
answer is that AI is already ubiquitous. AI is embedded in work in systems we use every day -
Google maps, digital voice assistants, online search engines, anti-spam filters and anti-virus
software, to name a few. According to Vantage Market Research, the global “AI in Construction
Market” was valued at $594.6 Million in 2022 and is projected to reach a value of $ 4.9 billion by
2030.

As a tool, AI allows us to collect and analyze data much more rapidly, which reduces error,
increases efficiency, enhances our ability to make good decisions and frees us up to perform tasks
requiring creativity and ingenuity.

If you ask BARD (Google’s conversational AI) to tell you what tasks AI is best suited for in the
design and construction industry, here’s what it will tell you. (1) Automating repetitive tasks like
scheduling, planning, and inventory management. (2) Improving safety on construction sites by
detecting potential hazards, monitoring workers' health and fatigue levels, and to providing real-
time alerts if there is a risk of injury. (3) Optimizing the use of materials and resources on
construction sites. For example, AI can be used to predict the demand for materials, to optimize
the routing of deliveries, and to track the use of materials throughout the construction process. (4)
Improving quality control by detecting defects in materials and workmanship and monitoring the
progress of construction projects, and to provide early warnings of potential problems. (5)
Generative design AI can be used to innovate new designs for buildings and infrastructure and can
simulate the performance of new designs, and to test them for safety and efficiency.

Of course, these are the first areas where we are seeing AI developed in our industry. The list of
examples is too long for a single blogpost. If you want to learn more, listen to the Institute’s
webinar – Artificial Intelligence: A Force Multiplier for the AEC Industry.