Get ready for artificial intelligence to transform the construction industry

The latest autonomous driving technology has made remarkable progress, from the autopilot system of cars to the autopilot of aircraft and autopilot instruments, the first generation of artificial intelligence everywhere.

These tools have changed the way we live and how we interact with the world and each other. Remember the world 30 years ago? It was a world without the Internet, without email, without social media, without ubiquitous photography, without online ride-hailing, let alone trams.

The next generation of artificial intelligence, known as artificial general intelligence (AGI), will have the ability to understand a wide range of tasks, such as abstract thinking. It will be able to judge and adapt just like humans. This will completely change the world we live in, probably within the next 20-30 years. AGI will be developed in the near future; however, what does this mean for those working in the built environment? The construction industry is very complex. The way buildings are planned, designed, constructed, purchased, financed, insured and used are interdependent. This trend has evolved into a process where processes reinforce each other, making it difficult for disruptors to break through.

Although the value of cutting-edge technologies will also continue to decline exponentially, it is possible to reach a point where existing models no longer apply. In fact, we are already seeing this happen with advances in off-site manufacturing and platform-based design and manufacturing approaches (P-DfMA).

Architectural design has been affected by artificial intelligence. Generative AI enables it to use parametric models as well as evidence-based design, tested and iterated through traditional algorithms, to achieve optimal designs at an early stage, improving efficiency and reducing carbon emissions.

Sophisticated simulations and analytics can be used to build better strategies, handle numerous variables simultaneously, and learn from the millions of data points generated by each project; something humans simply cannot do.

What’s Likely to Happen in the Future

Starting in 2030, there will be an explosion of generative artificial intelligence in architecture and engineering offices. Early stage and multi-objective optimization will become the norm and will span all architectural and engineering disciplines.

This will inform projects and reduce risks from the outset, including cost analysis, regulatory and planning compliance and carbon emissions reduction. A paradigm shift is coming.

As the role of artificial intelligence continues to extend into materials science in the 2030s, it will help accelerate the discovery and application of new materials to improve building performance, durability and sustainability. In fact, people will also start witnessing automated construction sites.

By around 2040, artificial intelligence will transform the engineering and construction industries in ways that are difficult to predict. Most processes will be automated and optimized.

Designers will use artificial intelligence in all aspects of their work, and it will become a tool to enhance perception, intuition and creativity. The boundaries between disciplines are likely to disappear. The design enterprise will be holistic, end-to-end. Planning, cost and compliance will be fully automated and perhaps even autonomous.

In fact, construction sites will also change. With robots that not only have human dexterity, can be programmed in simple English, and cost as much as a microwave oven, one can expect them to be used in many fields, especially high-risk areas. This will change perceptions of risk and constructability, affecting building plans and costs.

In the 2050s and beyond, with the emergence of general artificial intelligence, people will see everything change again. Jobs thought to be performed only by humans will soon be replaced by programs.

If we continue to extend this to bioengineering and robotics, from biogenetic carbon sequestration materials to self-building micro and nanotechnology, the possibilities will be beyond people's imagination.

Summary

The reality is that the development of artificial intelligence and its penetration into all aspects of life and work will initially improve people's work standards. This is called augmented intelligence, and it happens to be a combination of human experience and narrow artificial intelligence. But the point is, this is just the beginning.

As systems and processes become smarter, currently perceived risks or limitations may disappear. This will lead to changes in how buildings are designed, constructed, procured and even insured. At this point, the roles of engineers, project managers, architects, and others must change. If they don't adapt, their jobs are at risk.

Clearly, most existing jobs will change in the next 5 to 10 years. Everything currently done on screens could eventually be automated. The key, therefore, is that people need to learn, grow and adapt to stay relevant, and they need to invest in innovation that can anticipate this disruption.

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