Waltham, MA—Digitalization is one of the main drivers of global economic growth in the next 5-10 years. The construction industry is not an exception and is rapidly embracing it. Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and especially public availability of large language model implementations like ChatGPT attracted attention to the potential benefits these technologies could bring to the industry. The experts from Hypar, Togal.AI, and Ryan Companies, together with AMC Bridge, delved deeper into exploring if such technologies hold significant potential. Continuing the executive series of expert panel discussions, AMC Bridge hosted a live session on the role of AI in construction.
This time, the expert panel comprised Lucas Manos, IT Director of Business Operations, Ryan Companies; Anthony Hauck, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer, Hypar; Patrick Murphy, CEO and Founder, Togal.AI; and Igor Tsinman, Co-Founder and President, AMC Bridge. The discussion was expertly moderated by Jim Brown, Founder and President of Tech-Clarity.
What does the poll say?
Traditionally, we encouraged attendees to participate in a poll to better understand the audience’s perspectives. When prompted to share what was their level of AI adoption for construction, attendees indicated the following:
- 54% admitted they were still in the state of research.
- 36% confessed that their companies had only plans, small projects, or no AI adoption.
- 10% shared they were among early adopters and were using AI significantly.
Technological maturity. Readiness for AI
With recent advances in AI and all the excitement about it, especially the public availability of big language models like ChatGPT, there is a lot of talk about how AI can improve performance and profitability in almost everything. These advancements bring about the possibility of applying AI approaches and techniques to enhance productivity in AEC. At the same time, the construction industry still suffers from a lot of inefficiency and can’t boast a high level of digital maturity. So, the question remains: Is the industry ready for AI?
“I think the technology is certainly ready, but it’s worth mentioning the state of the data. I think the industry is more than ready. It’s just a question of whether it is adoptable quite yet,” Anthony Hauck, Hypar, comments on the maturity of technology, digital tools, and readiness for AI.
Problems and opportunities
The construction industry is generally complex and still has to fully embrace digital transformation. However, it’s important to realize that such a lack of maturity leads to a significant space for improvement.
Igor Tsinman, AMC Bridge, shares his observation: “There’s always hope that the particular technology will solve all our problems. And the reality is that the foundation is always shaky. There are many underlying issues, such as data compatibility, data quality, etc.”
While the availability of new tools and libraries opens up new opportunities, there is a lot of work in the AEC industry that needs to be done before AI/ML approaches can be fully utilized. One of the major problems is the availability and fidelity of industry data. So far, it is characterized by the disjoined datasets and lack of interoperability. The “good data” problem is well-recognized by the industry, and many companies are working to address it.
“With the new emergence of AI, we’re able to take our business to the next level. We’re now looking at AI and its ability to move and connect tools in new and different ways. We have a long way to go. But we have taken that foundation and are building upon it with our digital architecture strategy. We’re in the midst of rearchitecting our data storage to be AI-focused and ready,” emphasizes Lucas Manos, Ryan Companies, regarding AI advances in their business.
Check the full article in DailyCADCAM.
