How AI is reshaping construction from the ground up
By now, much ink has been spilled over the workforce shortage in the construction industry. But not only is there a lack of skilled workers, there’s also been a consistent loss of productivity. In fact, an August 2024 report from McKinsey Global Institute noted that there is a total of nearly $1 trillion in lost productivity each year.
One way several major construction firms are addressing this is by incorporating AI to streamline their operations and catch expensive mistakes. But there’s often a hesitation within the construction industry to adopt new technology. In fact, despite being one of the largest industries, it is also one of the least digitized.
Suffolk Construction, a member of multiple AGC chapters, is among the large construction firms that have taken the leap to adopting AI in recent years. With $8 billion in revenue and 3,200 employees, the company has plenty of projects to juggle, but AI has played a major role in keeping things running smoothly.
“Construction is a pragmatic industry. Project teams and trade partners will only adopt new tools if they clearly solve real problems. The biggest challenges with integrating AI include fragmented systems, inconsistent data and the temptation to chase ‘shiny’ technologies without a strong business case,” said Aleksey Chuprov, Suffolk’s VP of data analytics and AI.
He said that the best way to minimize disruption when incorporating new technology is to start in small and purposeful ways using clear metrics to gauge success. Then, gather feedback from your team and recalibrate before scaling up. Be sure to involve everyone from trade partners to project managers to superintendents so that they can recognize the value in adopting the technology. Lastly, Chuprov suggests building trust in AI gradually by balancing short-term wins with longterm innovations.
Using AI at Every Stage
Although generative AI is in its infancy, it’s already being incorporated into every step of the construction process. For instance, during the design phase, Suffolk uses AI-enabled generative design solutions to streamline the design process and keep costs lower. Once the company is in the planning stage, Chuprov said AI is used to create efficient schedules and identify and reduce potential risks before the job even starts, allowing teams and owners to make quicker, well-informed choices and a more seamless path to construction.
While on the jobsite, Suffolk uses AI to reduce time spent on administrative tasks, make safety processes more proactive and make information more readily accessible so that field leaders are spending less time digging through paperwork and more time focusing their attention on the building process, said Chuprov.
Throughout the life cycle of the jobs, across all projects nationwide, Suffolk is able to give teams and owners access to dashboards that update in real-time tracking key project metrics such as cost, schedule, quality and safety. This allows a clearer picture of project health and areas that need attention.
At an even broader level, Suffolk runs a Mission Control Center at its headquarters, which allows teams a bird’s eye view of live data from every active project complete with AI-driven analytics to call attention to potential delays allowing for early intervention, Chuprov said.
Plus, in order to encourage companywide collaboration, Suffolk has CoLab spaces in each regional office to encourage innovation, said Chuprov. Here, teams can test new technologies, scale emerging technologies and solve problems. There are even dedicated immersive virtual reality spaces that allow teams to walk through buildings before they’ve even been built.
Smart Tools, Real Results
There are already multiple industry-specific AI applications that are up and running and already saving companies thousands of hours and millions of dollars. For instance, Trunk Tools, created by a former contractor, seeks to empower workers rather than replace them, giving them what they need to streamline their workflow and nip potential issues in the bud so the work is done right the first time. They’ve already secured $70 million in funding.
Suffolk has experienced the efficacy of this tool firsthand.
On one project, “one of the biggest challenges was the sheer volume of manuals and documentation teams needed to reference,” said Chuprov. “Traditionally, searching for the right information slowed down decision making and pulled field leaders away from building.”
“To address this, Suffolk deployed Trunk Tools, which uses AI to quickly pull critical details from thousands of pages of documents, including construction drawings. This has allowed the project team to quickly access the information they need, redirect more time to problem solving in the field, and reduce the risk of rework or delays,” he said.
Wint (Water Intelligence) is using AI to detect and prevent water leaks.
“The system monitors water flow 24/7, flags abnormal use patterns and can automatically shut off valves in an emergency. This helps project teams avoid costly damage, reduce downtime implemented Wint’s enterprise water management and leak mitigation platform across over 30 New York City high rises during the construction process. In just one single weekend incident, 4,000 gallons of water were saved and several floors of flooding and damage were prevented because Wint detected an open faucet and shut off the water.
How to Train for Tomorrow
Although it can be intimidating to incorporate new technology when a company has done things a certain way for decades, it can be done. The key is to do it gradually and train people on the jobsite so they know what to expect.
“On project sites, construction technology deployment associates walk project teams through new tools to show them exactly how they fit into day-to-day tasks. In the office, functional employees receive trainings on generative AI to efficiently leverage it on day-to-day tasks, and even build AI agents,” explained Chuprov. “The reaction has been positive. Field teams say the tools help cut down on errors and make the jobsite more efficient, while office staff value having quicker access to the right information and lighter workloads.”
Building Forward
Although AI is already influencing how projects are being planned and built, Chuprov believes the next wave will take the technologies even further.
While Predictive AI forecasts future outcomes based on historical data, agentic AI uses those predictions (and other capabilities) to autonomously take actions and make decisions to achieve goals, often adapting to new information.
“Agentic AI could serve as ‘builder’s companions’ through anticipating next steps, automating repetitive workflows and surfacing solutions based on decades of project knowledge. Instead of simply reporting problems, these tools could recommend solutions in real time to help teams make even faster and smarter decisions,” he said.
AI-driven robotics are transitioning from experimental pilots to real-world applications, taking on tasks such as drywall installation, painting and excavation. According to Chuprov, as these technologies continue to evolve and scale, they will enable construction projects to be planned and carried out with enhanced efficiency, improved safety and greater sustainability from day one.
But don’t worry, he said. Tomorrow’s builders won’t need to be data scientists; they will, however, need to be AI-augmented.
He predicts some of the key skills the future workforce will need include critical thinking to evaluate AI-generated outputs and recommendations, the ability to interpret the data, spotting opportunities to improve processes using AI and incorporating digital workflows into everyday operations. Equally vital will be problem solving, adaptability and a continuous learning mindset, especially as AI tools advance and tackle increasingly complex challenges. Training programs should emphasize helping teams combine their construction expertise with data-driven insights, empowering them to make quicker, more informed decisions while still focusing on the practical demands of the jobsite.
“Impact comes from trust and adoption,” said Chuprov. “That requires leadership, thoughtful change management and a clear focus on creating value for project teams on-site. Suffolk has seen that when crews experience these tools solving real problems – whether preventing safety risks, avoiding delays, streamlining work – they embrace innovation.”