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.  

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.

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.