Artificial intelligence offers a “compelling opportunity” to tackle avoidable errors that cost the construction industry billions each year, but it could bring new risks to the sector, according to a research paper
Artificial Intelligence & Error Reduction: The Opportunities & Challenges has been published by the Get It Right (GIRI) initiative, a not-for-profit organisation that aims to improve construction productivity, quality, safety and sustainability by eliminating error.
GIRI’s research has shown that avoidable errors cost the industry an estimated £10bn-£25bn each year, at a time when the sector is under growing pressure to increase productivity and quality while managing workforce shortages and rising costs.
Meanwhile, generative AI could up the equivalent of up to $4.4 trillion annually to the global economy.
AI: A compelling opportunity
GIRI’s report argues that AI offers a “compelling opportunity” opportunity to improve accuracy, reduce waste and support safer, more efficient delivery.
Its research looks at how AI can be used to help reduce error across the construction lifecycle, from project inception and design to practical completion and handover.
However, the report also looks at where AI could introduce new risks in construction. It sets out recommendations for how AI can be embedded into project planning and workflows to ensure they are avoiding errors, not introducing risk.
Recommendations include:
- Undertaking risk assessments prior to using generative AI tools and AI agents in construction programmes.
- Making sure that post-processing and assurance checks are in place.
- Asking tools to show their working.
- Maintaining critical human oversight.
The report, written by John Priestland, chair of GIRI Technology Working Group, draws on industry interviews, case studies and desk research to identify how AI is currently being used, what barriers to adoption exist, and what strategies will help organisations and project teams to maximise its benefits.
It outlines practical use cases, best practice case studies and guidance on safe deployment. For example, AI is already being used to identify design conflicts, reducing the risk of costly errors and rework.
‘We must tread carefully’
GIRI executive director Cliff Smith said: “AI holds huge potential to improve decision-making, automate routine tasks and reduce avoidable mistakes. But it also brings new risks, especially if used without sufficient care, context or assurance. In high-hazard sectors such as construction, we must tread carefully.
“This report offers useful insight, highlights practical applications and encourages further engagement from both construction professionals and technology developers to ensure that we maximise the benefit that AI offers in our mission to reduce avoidable error.”
