The industry group Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) has just published a new guide to AI resources for contractors working closely with architects on building projects across the U.S. 

“The possibilities of AI technology may sound endless, but we must first educate ourselves on the basics, and this resource is a starting point to understand AI and its potential impact on the construction industry,” said ABC Director of Construction Technology and Innovation Patrick Scarpati, who authored the guide. “The industry has immense opportunities to evaluate how we can better deliver projects, and we can lean on AI in achieving essential goals like upskilling, workforce development, knowledge transfer, supply chain optimization, enhanced safety design and planning and much more.”

Among the tools ABC says are supposed to make the building trade more efficient, safer, and productive are Autodesk’s new Construction IQ risk analysis software, the Hypar building modeling program that lets users describe a project via text first before producing a workable digital version, as well as various autonomous equipment, jobsite mapping, project management, safety screening, contract review, and labor tracking tools.

“As younger workers become industry leaders, we must approach AI in construction as beneficial with a balanced view that includes continuous evaluation, developing ethical guidelines, and increasing awareness about what AI can and cannot do,” Scarpati's colleague Matt Abeles explained also.

AEC firms have been shown to be using BIM software and other architectural tools more and more frequently since the end of the pandemic. The new guide can, therefore, serve as a primer for professionals adapting to the rapid changes as the AI revolution in building and construction begins to take hold.