🌆 Is AI coming for your job?

Happy Monday! We’re diving into the deep end on a big question this week. But first…

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Is AI coming for your job?

The construction industry is experiencing its most significant technological shift since the first skyscrapers rose in Manhattan and Chicago in the 1880’s. This transformation is being driven by AI (generative AI to be specific). It sounds hyperbolic, but it’s true.

This transformation, however, isn’t all roses for the industry (unless you’re an owner). In the past several months experts are raising the alarm, predicting mass job loss in the coming years due to AI automation.

So everyone is wondering now, is my job safe from AI?

Why is AI so disruptive?

If all you’ve been seeing so far is ChatGPT and Google’s search AI, then it might be hard to see why the technology is so disruptive. The answer comes down to 3 factors:

1. Generalized problem solving ability: You’ve seen how systems are great at doing a lot of different things - coding, business analysis, writing, research. But the bigger unlock comes from AI systems now being able to use software like you do. Put an LLM in Outlook and Procore and suddenly it’s managing communications and updating schedules on autopilot.

2. Decreasing cost of intelligence: The cost of using LLMs is dropping at an astonishing rate - up to 10x per year, to be exact. This means it’s becoming more and more cost effective to deploy AI systems on different tasks and run them more intensively to get better results.

3. Speed of technology development: AI systems are making significant leaps in capability at a rapid pace and showing no signs of slowing down. Tasks that were nearly impossible for AI last year are now trivial. If you believe industry insiders, then artificial general intelligence (AGI) - AI systems that can do any task at a human or greater level - is only a few years away.

How Are AEC companies using AI?

I came across an interesting stat recently: 76% of AEC organizations plan major AI investments within three years, but only 1% are using it extensively today.

This gap isn’t surprising given how reluctant the AEC sector is to adopt new technology. However the upcoming planned investments speak to the powerful trends we’re seeing right now.

As examples, Gensler and Skanska have announced their own AI tools for workflow automation.

This is good, actually

I’m really optimistic about the future of AEC jobs with AI.

Yes, AI can do a lot of the work that you do yourself today. Maybe it’s even better than you are at some things. But it turns out that humans collaborating with AI is where the magic happens.

The results are already there. Early AI adopters at Gensler reported 30% reduction in design documentation time and 75% fewer design conflicts. More significantly, junior staff leveraging AI tools achieve 5x the productivity gains of non-AI peers.

PwC did a big study on this and found that workers using AI are much more productive, much more employable and command higher salaries. For early-career professionals, this trend points to both uncertainty and unprecedented opportunity.

Learn to augment yourself with AI and you’re golden. Stay stagnant and you’ll be left behind.

The only constant is change

Augmenting yourself with AI doesn’t just mean keeping ChatGPT open in a browser tab. You have to prepare for a career where the skills that will make you successful might be very different in 2030 than they were when you finished school.

Likewise, the job titles you might grow into are very different now. New positions—AI Construction Specialists, Digital Project Coordinators, Human-AI Collaboration Managers—represent the fastest-growing segment for early-career opportunities.

If there’s anything actionable to take away, it’s this: Start experimenting with AI tools in your current role immediately, even if your company isn't there yet. Document every efficiency gain and workflow improvement you achieve. Invest in AEC-specific AI education rather than generic courses.

Most importantly, position yourself as the bridge between AI capabilities and real-world project needs—because the professionals who can translate between both worlds will become indispensable. The transformation is happening whether you participate or not, so you might as well lead it.

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Until next time,

Emma & Sawyer