Around half of construction professionals now use AI at work – and almost all of them say it’s been a force for good.
New research from The Access Group shows that 52% of construction professionals surveyed use the technology, which saves them, on average, just under three hours a week. Around 94% believe it has positively impacted their workplace, and 83% say it’s improved standards.
The Access Group surveyed employees in 12 industries and professions – and found that half use AI today. Tech professionals are leading the way at 74%, then HR at 68%, while those in the not-for-profit, and health and social care sectors ranked lowest at 29% and 30% respectively.
Construction sector employees cited reduced workloads as AI’s biggest benefit, followed by cost savings and improved productivity.
Top five benefits of AI in construction:
- Reduces workloads (64%)
- Saves the business money (51%)
- Helps productivity (44%)
- Better work-life balance (31%)
- Better customer service (30%)
ChatGPT is the most popular AI tool, used by around 57% of respondents. Just over 65% also say generative AI tools, like ChatGPT, have helped to relieve stress or anxiety about their jobs.
Alex Boury, General Manager at Access Construction, part of The Access Group, said:
“Tools like ChatGPT can help speed up routine tasks like writing emails. But advanced tools, including construction-specific ERP systems, such as Access Coins, use AI and big-data processing to securely analyse huge amounts of data to help with cost forecasting, CVR and resource allocation. AI has the potential to be transformative to the sector, driving better decisions and providing insights to help companies build better across the sector.”
However, the survey also uncovered a number of potentially worrying trends among construction professionals.
Around 41% admit they often use AI to complete tasks they were meant to do themselves, and 38% say they use the technology to get ahead in a way they wouldn’t tell their boss about. Over two-fifths (43%) also have concerns about data security, and 30% highlighted confidentiality.
Marko Perisic, Chief Product and Engineering Officer at The Access Group, said:
“AI has taken off in a way that few people could have imagined – but left unchecked it can lead to some employees using it irresponsibly. Sometimes this is down to lack of training about the potential security risks but, according to our survey, a high proportion use it covertly to do their job for them, which is unfair on their colleagues and customers.
“Construction teams need a vendor who offers the highest data protection standards. Our new AI experience, Access Evo, encourages employees to innovate, while giving them peace of mind that all information is stored in a secure and private environment and not used in other open source AI systems. Approved AI tools like these, underpinned by clear and regularly-updated policies and training, can help everyone to deliver a better standard of service, and get ahead in their careers without compromising company data.”
The full research can be found here www.theaccessgroup.com/en-gb/evo/insights.
For more information about Access Evo, The Access Group’s new AI solution for businesses, visit www.theaccessgroup.com/en-gb/evo
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