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Construction Firms See Big Savings From AI but Struggle to Scale, Survey Shows

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NEM€71.35 1.71%

Construction and engineering professionals are seeing financial returns from artificial intelligence, but broad adoption across the industry remains limited. A survey of 750 U.S. industry decision-makers conducted by Bluebeam, a software division of Nemetschek SE (XETR:NEM), shows that 40 percent of firms using AI in production report cost savings exceeding $500,000. Additionally, 64 percent report improved cost predictability, and 58 percent identify project risks earlier.

Despite these benefits, scaling the technology continues to pose a challenge. Only 28 percent of surveyed organizations have moved AI into live production, and just 7 percent have embedded it across core workflows. High implementation costs were cited by 50 percent of respondents as a main barrier, while 34 percent pointed to a lack of internal AI skills. A growing digital skills shortage further complicates deployment, with 77 percent of firms struggling to recruit workers proficient in digital tools.

Moving forward, operational integration rather than trust in AI outputs will dictate success. With 97 percent of firms requiring new software to fit into existing systems, organizations that integrate AI tools, streamline workflows, and upskill employees are best positioned to reduce project delays and boost efficiency.

Key points

  • Only 28 percent of construction firms have scaled AI into production, though 40 percent of those in production saved over $500,000.
  • High implementation costs and internal skill shortages were cited as the primary obstacles to expanding AI use.
  • System integration is the top success factor, with 47 percent of firms in production naming it critical to deployment.
  • A widespread labor shortage persists, with 77 percent of firms reporting difficulty hiring workers with digital tool expertise.

Written by our AI from expert market sources across the web. It can contain mistakes: check the facts before acting on them. Write-ups powered by the free AI API at FreeTheAI.org

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Questions and answers

How much money can construction firms save by using AI?

Among construction firms running AI in production, 40 percent report cost savings exceeding $500,000, along with improved cost predictability and earlier risk detection.

What are the main obstacles to scaling AI in construction?

The biggest barriers are high implementation costs, cited by 50 percent of firms, and a lack of internal AI expertise, cited by 34 percent. Workforce shortages also make digitally skilled talent hard to find.

How many construction companies currently use AI in production?

Only 28 percent of construction firms have deployed AI into active production, and just 7 percent have embedded AI across multiple core workflows.