Artificial Intelligence in the AEC Industry: Enhancing Efficiency and Expertise

By Chan Nga Yin, Amy

The emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI), especially AI-powered chatbots, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, has brought significant benefits to various sectors, including the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry. While it can optimise business processes and improve efficiency, it has also raised concerns about job displacement. According to a report by Goldman Sachs, approximately 18 per cent of global jobs, equivalent to 1.8 billion positions, could be replaced by AI.

Among the surveyed regions, Hong Kong is projected to have one of the highest job displacement rates, with an estimated 30 per cent of positions at risk. The report highlights eight professions most susceptible to the impact of AI, including architecture and engineering.

BENEFITS FOR THE INDUSTRY AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC
The development of AI chatbots, despite their current accuracy rate of 60 to 70 per cent, has already brought significant convenience to industry professionals. Traditionally, industry players heavily relied on their memory to navigate through regulations and rules. However, human memory is fallible, and amidst busy work schedules, errors can occur. Architects, engineering and other industry experts are required to stay updated with the latest codes and regulations, and often need to spend a lot of time in repeatedly verifying the most recent standards. Rarely used codes and regulations are even more likely to be overlooked. With the assistance of AI chatbots, they can receive preliminary answers, allowing them to focus on in-depth study of particular rules and regulations. This could save a lot of time and enhance their work efficiency.

A concept image that shows a concert with fireworks at the fountain square with the command “art and culture”

LIMITATIONS OF AI AND PROFESSIONALS’ FUTURE ROLES
Despite the numerous benefits AI brings to the industry, it is important to acknowledge its limitations. Since the launch of ChatGPT last year, its precision and accuracy have likely declined. This may be due to the abundance of AI-generated content on the internet that failed to reflect real situations. Therefore, there is still room for improvement in terms of sensitivity and flexibility.

CHAN NGA YIN, AMY
Senior Project Manager of Henderson Land Development Company Limited
She was the recipient of the A&D Perspective 40 under 40 Award in 2023. As a registered Architect, Authorized Person and BEAM Professional, she has made significant strides in her field. She is the co-founder of the non-profit organization, Beyond the Wall, and has been recognised with the second Leadership and Bauhinia Award from the Agency for Volunteer Service. Amy has also demonstrated her writing skills by winning the Young Writers’ Debut Competition by Joint Publishing (Hong Kong). She is a column writer for the Hong Kong Economic Journal and has previously served as a visiting lecturer at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

This is an excerpt. The original article is published in
Construction+ Q1 2024 Issue: Construction Technologies Now.
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