A surge in construction robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) is boosting productivity and safety, but widespread adoption is limited by fragmented data standards and legacy systems. Industry groups and regulators are working to establish interoperable schemas and provide incentives for mid-sized builders. Upskilling initiatives and policy support are being introduced to facilitate cross-regional scaling.
Background
Standardizing data exchange in construction, through frameworks like buildingSMART's IFC and COBie for asset handover, provides a foundation for interoperability in BIM and asset workflows. buildingSMART manages the open IFC standard to enable information exchange between software systems, while COBie ensures structured handover data at the point of origin.buildingSMART develops Industry Foundation Classes (IFCs) as a neutral and open specification for BIM applications COBie enables electronic capture and exchange of managed asset information such as equipment lists and maintenance schedules Despite these efforts, AI and robotics systems face ongoing challenges due to gaps in standardized data models, hindering seamless integration.
Details
A 2025 RICS global survey reported less than 1.5% of firms have fully embedded AI across their operations. Nearly 75% remain in exploratory phases. Barriers identified include lack of digital skills (46%), integration issues with existing systems (37%), poor data quality (30%), and lack of standards (25%).RICS reported AI was rarely fully embedded, with less than 1% organisation-wide adoption, and widespread challenges including skills gaps (46%), integration (37%), data issues (30%) and standards absence (25%) These findings underline the structural barriers to scaling automation beyond pilot projects.
OpenConstruction's 2025 review of 51 public visual construction datasets found wide variation in format, annotation, and quality, which impedes AI model development. The study recommended future data infrastructures follow FAIR (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, Reusability) principles.OpenConstruction synthesized 51 public visual datasets (2005-2024) and framed improvements around FAIR principles (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, Reusability)
Policy initiatives in Europe include the EU Data Act (effective March 2025) and the AI Act (in force since February 2025), which intend to standardize data access and AI governance. The European Skills Agenda and the Pact for Skills for construction address workforce gaps.The EU Data Act, effective March 2025, facilitates access to industry data; the EU AI Act, in force since February 2025, introduces governance frameworks promoting safe AI use; skill development is supported via the European Skills Agenda and Pact for Skills Additionally, industry-led projects-such as CRB's AI-assisted digitization of construction standards-demonstrate early progress in converting analogue standards into digital formats.CRB's AI model applies NLP to standardize construction standards into structured digital formats via a web application for expert feedback
Recent market data shows that 36% of construction CEOs are upskilling employees in data science and AI, while 50% of firms cite insufficient staff support for technology adoption. By 2026, 60% of workforce training is expected to involve AI and AR/VR technologies.36% of construction CEOs are specifically upskilling staff in AI and data science; 50% of firms cite insufficient staff to support technology; 60% of workforce training is projected to involve AR/VR and AI by 2026 These trends highlight workforce readiness as essential for scaling automation.
Outlook
Industry groups and regulators are expected to advance interoperable standards and accelerate AI governance frameworks across regions. Mid-market firms will likely balance investments in technology, training, and incremental upgrades to support the broader adoption of automation and robotics.
