The construction industry is standing at the edge of a transformation one that could redefine how we design, build, and manage the built environment. The RICS Global Construction Monitor Q1 2025 survey, backed by more than 2,200 professionals worldwide, gives us a rare look at where the industry really stands on AI adoption.

The numbers tell a fascinating story: ambition is rising, but reality is still catching up.

The Reality Check: Adoption is Still Low

Despite the hype, 78% of firms globally have either made no AI implementation or are stuck in early pilot projects. That’s right nearly 8 in 10 companies are still testing the waters.

• Only 15% report regular use of AI in processes.

• Less than 1% have scaled AI across multiple projects.

It’s a clear sign: AI in construction is more promising than practice so far.

The Silver Lining: Investment is Outpacing Adoption

If adoption is low, investment intent is anything but.

• 31% of companies plan to increase AI investment in the next 12 months.

• By comparison, only 15% are actively using AI today.

That’s a 16-point ambition gap proof that while current capability is limited, strategic intent is strong.

Interestingly, even among the 30% of respondents citing skills shortages as their top barrier, most still plan to increase their AI investments. It’s a bold bet: fund first, upskill later.

The Barriers: Why AI Isn’t Scaling Yet

The survey asked professionals their top challenges. The results are blunt:

• Lack of skilled personnel – 46%

• Integration with existing systems – 37%

• Data quality & availability – 30%

• High implementation costs – 29%

• Unclear ROI – 28%

• Lack of standards/guidance – 25%

These barriers don’t act in isolation. Poor data makes ROI shaky. Skills shortages drive up implementation costs. Integration challenges stall adoption. Together, they form a web of delay.

As RICS puts it, a clear roadmap is required tackling these systematically, not in silos.

Where AI Will Hit Hardest

When asked where AI will have the most significant impact in the next five years, professionals gave a clear winner:

• Design optioneering – 40%

• Skills training – 13%

• Regulatory compliance – 11%

• Autonomous robotics – 10%

• Predictive digital twins – 10%

• Low-carbon & circular construction – 8%

• Safety & wellbeing – 6%

This marks a shift. Until now, AI was valued in tactical areas like progress monitoring and scheduling. But the future? Strategic functions like early-stage design decision-making.

With mounting pressure to build smarter and faster, AI-led design could become the next competitive frontier. Imagine an algorithm generating dozens of sustainable, cost-optimized designs before a single brick is laid.

The Missed Opportunity: Safety & Sustainability

Here’s the paradox: the industry knows sustainability and safety are critical. Yet, they’re ranked lowest for expected AI impact. Only 21% believe AI will significantly improve safety management, and 21% for sustainability.

This isn’t because they’re unimportant it’s because AI isn’t yet integrated into design and supply chains. RICS warns companies that ignore AI’s potential here may miss out on huge regulatory and competitive advantages.

RICS recommends practical pilot projects and clear benchmarks to prove AI’s impact on safety and low-carbon construction. That’s where the real differentiation lies.

The Workforce Challenge

The elephant in the room? Skills.

The industry is already battling an ageing workforce and shortage of young talent. Add AI, and the gap widens. Professionals with a mix of AI + construction skills are the most sought after but in desperately short supply.

• 69% of project managers and 67% of surveyors believe AI will help them deliver greater value.

• Yet 44% worry about its impact on their role.

• Almost half (48%) feel overwhelmed by how quickly technology is changing their profession.

Optimism and anxiety are running in parallel.

The Tipping Point Ahead

Despite all the hurdles, the momentum is undeniable.

• 26% of firms say they are well on the way to preparation.

• 31% report moderate or significant investment planned in the next 12 months.

• 34% are in early pilots that could mature soon.

Add it up, and nearly 50% of respondents could become active AI users within a short timescale.

RICS calls this an AI tipping point for construction. With the right skills, governance, and infrastructure, adoption could accelerate dramatically over the next 12–24 months.

What Needs to Happen: Immediate, Intermediate & Future Actions

RICS doesn’t just highlight problems it lays out a roadmap:

Immediate-Term (2025–2026): Laying the Groundwork

• Upskill teams and build cross-functional leadership groups.

• Clean and govern data quality data is the foundation of AI.

• Establish employee enablement frameworks (roles, responsibilities, liability, acceptable use).

• Put ethical guardrails and public interest safeguards in place.

This phase is about readiness getting people, data, and ethics in order.

Intermediate-Term (2027–2028): Scaling Adoption

• Expand from pilots to scaled deployment in multiple projects.

• Strengthen interoperability and integration with existing systems.

• Standardize open data frameworks across firms.

• Build sector-wide training programs and apprenticeships.

This is the stage where AI moves from “experiments” to “everyday practice”.

Future Vision (Beyond 2028): Full Strategic Impact

• AI is deeply embedded across the entire construction lifecycle from design optioneering to sustainability and safety monitoring.

• Predictive, autonomous systems enabling real-time optimization of costs, risks, and resources.

• AI as a driver of net-zero, circular construction, and workforce safety.

• Industry-wide standards, benchmarks, and global best practices guiding responsible AI adoption.

This is where AI stops being “technology” and becomes “the way construction works”.

Final Word

AI in construction is no longer science fiction. It’s not even a distant future. The tools exist, the investments are coming, and the opportunities are immense.

But here’s the catch: those who prepare now by training their people, cleaning their data, and embracing responsible AI will dominate tomorrow.

The rest? They risk being left behind in an AI-enabled marketplace that won’t wait.

The construction industry is finally at its AI inflection point. The next two years will decide who leads and who lags.