Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a term used to describe how machines are being trained to reduce human functions. Artificial Intelligence in the construction industry involves using various technologies to make the construction sites safer for the workers, reduce waste, and increase efficiency.
Artificial Intelligence has the ability and potential that helps various players realize the value throughout the entire lifecycle. The life cycle thus includes Designing & Financing; Procurement & Construction; Asset & Operations Management; transformation of the whole business model, etc. The introduction of AI in the construction industry would help the industry overcome the most demanding challenges they have faced.
Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning In the Construction Industry
The Construction industry is on the verge of getting digitized. The process of digitalization is causing disruptions in the traditional approach of operations in the construction industry. The introduction of Artificial Intelligence in the construction industry can significantly boost the efficiency of the entire value chain of the construction industry.
Machine Learning is considered a subset of AI. Machine learning in Artificial Intelligence uses various statistical techniques to help computer systems by providing them with the ability to learn from data without being programmed explicitly. The Machine thus generates the ability to understand better and deliver insights when exposed to more data.
Benefits of Using Artificial Intelligence In the Construction Industry
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning have vast potential in the construction Industry. It acts like an intelligent assistant that helps in the scrutinization of the data. Also, it helps by providing an alert indication to the project managers about various critical conditions that require immediate attention. Several such applications use AI in the same way. The benefits of the introduction of AI in the construction industry are as follows:
Helps In Preventing Cost Overruns
It is seen that most of the mega infrastructure project goes above crossing the actual budget. It happens despite having the best effective project team in place. Artificial Neural Networks can be used in construction projects to predict the exact cost and prevent it from crossing the actual cost of the budget based upon the contract type, size of the project, and the competence level of the managers involved in the project planning and execution.
Artificial Intelligence helps the staff by providing them remote access to real-life training materials. It helps in the reduction of the onboarding time of the new resources, thus expediting the delivery of the project.
AI Helps In Better Designing of the Buildings
The designing up of the information modeling is based on the 3D model process, which is very helpful for the engineering, architecture, and construction professionals to plan effectively, design, construct and manage the buildings and the infrastructure projects. There is a challenge to make sure that the different models of the different sub-teams don’t clash with each other.
The construction industry can use machine learning in the form of AI-powered designs to identify and help in mitigating the clashes between the designs presented by various sub-teams of the organization.
Risk Mitigation
Every construction project involves risks that may come to light in any form. The bigger the project, the more the risk is because there are more sub-contractors involved in megaprojects. The risks involved are based on the cost involved, quality of the material and infrastructure, and safety.
AI and machine learning solutions can help contractors mitigate various risks associated with the project they are associated with. It helps in increasing the efficiency of the project with minimum risk.
Helps In Project Planning
Artificial Intelligence-based Robots are crucial in solving late and over-budget construction projects. The construction companies can take the help of robots to capture 3D pictures of the construction sites and then help in feeding the data in the system. It can be effectively used for analysis and classification.
Future Algorithms would be using AI techniques for reinforcement learning. It can prove to be helpful to access the combinations and alternatives based on similar projects.
Helps in addressing Labour Shortage
Labour shortage is a common problem faced by the construction industry. The shortage of skilled labor and a desire to boost the sector’s low productivity have compelled the construction industries to look out for alternative solutions. AI and Machine learning can be beneficial to deal with this issue. AI-based robots can be used very efficiently to evaluate job progress which can be very helpful for the project managers to increase the productivity of the industry.
