Construction Industry 'Behind AI Curve', says BSI

Although AI is transforming project planning, site safety and resource management, the British Standards Institution (BSI) says the UK's built environment sector is lagging behind in AI readiness.

The BSI is the UK's national standards body that produces technical standards and certifications and is part of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), a global federation of around 140 national standards bodies that promotes standardisation to facilitate international trade and develop quality management standards. 

The BSI's analysis assessed seven sectors across nine countries. It ranked the built environment sector sixth out of seven in AI readiness, with a score of 1.9 out of 5.

Its newly released International AI Maturity Model is a framework that assesses an organisation's readiness and capability to implement artificial intelligence effectively, and it also positions British construction firms at risk of falling behind global competitors in the AI race.

Although AI adoption in the construction industry is slow, some of the biggest construction companies in the world have taken significant steps. These include:

• Bechtel, an engineering and construction giant, employs AI for project planning, risk management and predictive maintenance. 
• Construction and development firm Skanska uses AI for safety management and project monitoring. 
• AECOM, an infrastructure consulting firm, leverages AI for project design and construction management. It uses AI to automate flood-modelling processes.
• Infrastructure group Balfour Beatty employs AI for site monitoring and predictive analytics. 
• Larsen & Toubro, a technology, engineering, construction and manufacturing company, uses AI for project planning and construction automation. Its AI systems in the Mumbai Metro project help with resource management and risk mitigation.

AI in construction: BSI’s worldwide analysis 

However, the BSI study reveals that 24% of built environment businesses are not investing in AI, despite 86% of sector leaders planning to invest in AI or AI-enabled tools within five years.

While 77% of built environment business leaders state their organisations encourage AI use, only 37% have an AI strategy in place. 

This gap between intention and action underscores the sector's challenge in implementing AI effectively.

The BSI study also extends beyond construction, offering insights into broader AI adoption trends. 

According to the study, Indian and Chinese businesses lead in AI readiness, followed by the US. 

Meanwhile, the UK, Japan and the Netherlands trail in investment, training and supplier engagement.

In China, 73% of business leaders reported increasing AI investment, compared to 39% in the UK. 

Yet only 38% of UK business leaders said their company had an AI strategy or conducted an AI risk assessment. 

Employee attitudes reflect this hesitancy, with 65% of UK business leaders believing their company encourages AI use, lower than the 96% and 94% reported in China and India, respectively.

As the global construction industry increasingly uses AI for project management, risk assessment, and sustainable building practices, the UK's lack of readiness could impact its international competitiveness.

BSI's strategies for AI adoption in the construction industry

BSI’s research highlights four crucial strategies for businesses to foster trust in AI across their ecosystems and society, enabling AI to become a positive force:

Think long-term: Look at AI as part of your wider business strategy - once the foundations are in place, businesses can optimise and evolve their AI strategy as technology advances.

Businesses and policymakers should collaborate across borders: The goal must be to innovate with AI, but to do so safely. Alongside regulatory routes, cross-border collaboration can offer necessary protections.

Move from intention to action: Instil trust in AI by clarifying priorities and accelerating progress towards them.

Lead and inspire: Set the standard for an AI future in which the technology is a force for good.

Susan Taylor Martin, CEO of BSI, says: "BSI's International AI Maturity Model paints a positive but nuanced picture of a world excited about AI's potential and its promise as a force for good. 

Some countries and some sectors are pulling ahead while for others there is a journey still to go on to build trust and confidence. Investment in standards, training and assurance is key as AI becomes integral to the future of life and work.

While the Model shows diverging paths thus far on AI, its mass adoption and integration into work and life is a marathon, not a sprint.”

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