Construction firms widely expect AI to reshape jobsite operations within years, but multiple industry surveys reveal that actual deployment remains limited - held back by a workforce training gap, concerns over data accuracy, and a shortage of hands-on AI education tailored to tradespeople.
Background
The gap between AI ambition and action is well documented. A global survey of more than 2,200 professionals by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) found that approximately 45% of respondents reported no AI implementation in their organizations, with 34% in early pilot phases. Only 1.5% reported AI use across multiple processes, while fully embedded, organization-wide AI adoption was reported by less than 1% of participants, according to the RICS report published in October 2025.
A separate Bluebeam survey of 1,000 AEC professionals, cited by the American Society of Civil Engineers in December 2025, found only 27% of respondents use AI in their operations. Fifty-two percent of survey respondents still use paper during the design phase and 49% during planning, underscoring the digital infrastructure deficit that constrains AI viability across many firms.
Deloitte's 2026 Engineering and Construction Industry Outlook adds further context: the industry faces a projected need for 499,000 new workers in 2026, up from 439,000 in 2025, with labor shortages expected to intensify cost overruns and project delays if left unaddressed.
Details
Despite low current adoption, contractor sentiment toward AI is strongly positive and accelerating. A December 2025 Dodge Construction Network survey of 235 U.S. general and trade contractors found 85% expect they will spend less time on repetitive tasks thanks to AI, while 75% envision AI helping them learn from past projects via historical data. 86% of large contractors believe AI will give them a competitive advantage, compared to just 69% of small or mid-sized peers, according to Dodge.
A DeWalt study conducted across six countries in December 2024, covering residential, commercial, and industrial construction, found that tradespeople are eager to learn AI but lack access to training. Among early adopters, the top benefits cited include increased productivity at 35%, cost savings at 34%, and improved quality control at 35%, according to the study. 88% of respondents expect AI adoption to increase over the next year, 83% said AI will be standard within three years, and 90% believe it will be indispensable within five years. Yet only 8% said AI is part of their current day-to-day work.
Concerns persist alongside the optimism. The Dodge survey found 57% of respondents listed a lack of reliability or accuracy in AI output as a chief concern, while 54% noted data security and privacy risks. 49% of small firms say cost is their biggest obstacle to AI adoption, compared to just 26% of large companies, according to Dodge.
On the safety front, U.S. construction recorded 1,075 work-related fatalities in 2023 - more than any other industry, with falls, slips, and trips accounting for 39% of those deaths, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data cited by Construction Dive. AI-powered vision systems are being deployed to reduce that toll. Bechtel uses an AI solution from Detect Technologies that relies on visual cues to flag non-use of personal protective equipment across its workforce. Skanska developed an AI-powered assistant called Safety Sidekick, which consolidates internal health and safety manuals, OSHA construction standards, and supplemental safety documentation into a single resource workers can query via mobile or desktop devices.
To address the training deficit directly, DeWalt partnered with Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) to launch a hands-on AI pilot program through ABC's Central Florida Innovation and Technology Center. The initiative targets apprentices and early-career professionals enrolled in ABC's NextGen leadership program with real jobsite AI use cases. DeWalt also committed a $75,000 grant to the Trimmer Construction Education Fund and is supporting a monthly "AI Toolbox Takeaways" webinar series reaching ABC's 24,000 member companies.
"Education is vital to bringing fundamental AI skill sets to our future workforce," said Matthew Abeles, ABC vice president of construction technology and innovation, adding that the funding "will be invaluable to improving safety and productivity on jobsites."
Bluebeam CEO Usman Shuja identified cultural and organizational barriers as equally significant: "The biggest barriers to AEC technology adoption in 2026 aren't cost - they're complexity, culture, and connection."
Outlook
RICS recommended that builders upskill internal teams in the near term and establish cross-functional leadership groups to identify priority AI use cases in scheduling, cost estimating, and safety. The RICS report concluded that as supporting infrastructure develops and implementation costs reduce, widespread AI adoption could occur over a relatively short timescale. Meanwhile, Randstad data published in March 2026 showed demand for construction roles has risen 30% since late 2022 as AI-infrastructure buildout drives broader skilled-trade hiring - a trend simultaneously intensifying the workforce gap firms are trying to close.
