Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the current weapon of choice in the never-ending technological arms race.
But as everyone makes the mad dash to adopt AI and integrate it into how they work, a recent Engineering News-Record article argued that it’s important to remember that this technology is not fully understood and comes with inherent risks – especially in the high-stakes architecture, engineering and construction industries.
Jeff Albee, vice president and director of digital solutions at global engineering, architecture, and environmental consulting firm, Stantec, wrote that while AI is a “potentially transformative” technology for AEC industries, the rush to adopt AI “can lead to an over-reliance on systems that aren’t fully understood or properly vetted.”
“This is remarkably risky in the AEC world, where legal and safety compliance is mandatory and quality standards are non-negotiable,” he said. “The consequences of failing to properly assess and implement AI could be catastrophic, potentially leading to engineering failures or other serious issues that could endanger lives.”
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Over the past few years, more and more AEC firms have integrated AI to assist in project planning, operations and maintenance (O&M), jobsite safety, and more.
A recent report surveying 400 technology decision-makers at AEC firms in the U.S., U.K., Canada, France, Spain, Germany, Australia, and New Zealand found that 74% of these firms are now using AI within one or more phases of their building projects. But 54% of those using AI are concerned about AI regulation, and 44% of those say these concerns are having a real impact on AI implementation within their companies.
“The issue for firms (and the clients who employ them) is that the understanding of how to bring AI systems under the compliance umbrella in our industry is relatively immature,” Albee wrote. “And the mysterious processes that power AI and Machine Learning (ML) are a black box that are often left unexplained to the consumer of the outcomes that these services produce.”
Major questions remain to be answered about when and to what extent firms should disclose the use of AI-generated content in client deliverables.
“If an AI model generates part of some design schematic, who is responsible for ensuring that those elements of the design meet regulatory and safety standards?” Albee asked. “Should there be an “ingredients” label to disclose AI has been employed in the creation of work? A warning label? And if so, how should a client distinguish between a broadly available AI system (like CoPilot from Microsoft) that’s tried and trusted versus a proprietary model perhaps less well known?
“This lack of clarity could result in over-promising and worse, science errors or design flaws,” he continued. “That obviously creates massive potential liability for AEC firms.”
Albee urged AEC firms to establish standards and frameworks that provide guidance on quality and compliance.
Several organizations have already begun this work. The White House recently issued a Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights which outlines five principles to protect individuals from the potential harms of AI. And the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) AI Risk Management Framework (AI RMF) offers guidance for understanding and managing AI use.
“…As regulatory bodies increasingly turn their attention to AI, compliance with these standards will likely become mandatory,” Albee wrote. “Firms that proactively align their AI practices with these frameworks will be better positioned to adapt to future regulatory changes and maintain their competitive edge. We must not wait for the first catastrophic failure to figure this out. Using these frameworks now will allow companies to open the aperture of understanding of the wider risks that AI poses.”
As AEC firms work to fully understand and harness AI technology, GPRS will be here to help you Intelligently Visualize The Built World® with our accurate, field-verified infrastructure data that keeps you on time, on budget, and safe.
We offer a comprehensive suite of subsurface damage prevention, existing conditions documentation, and construction & facilities project management services designed to give you the accurate, actionable data you need to execute you and/or your client’s vision. Utilizing state-of-the-art technology and an industry-leading methodology, we can locate buried utilities, pinpoint leaks in underground water lines, inspect the integrity of sewer pipes, map & model your job site both above and below ground, and more.
All this data is at your fingertips 24/7 thanks to SiteMap® (patent pending), powered by GPRS. This proprietary project & facility management application provides you with accurate existing conditions documentation to protect your assets and people.
SiteMap® allows you and your team to plan, design, manage, dig, and ultimately build better by providing you with a single source of truth for all the vital infrastructure data you’ll need through every step of your project.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How does GPRS communicate the results of their utility locates?
Our Project Managers flag and paint our findings directly on the surface. This method of communication is the most accurate form of marking when excavation is expected to commence within a few days of service.
GPRS also uses a global positioning system (GPS) to collect data points of findings. We use this data to generate a plan, KMZ file, satellite overlay, or CAD file to permanently preserve results for future use. GPRS does not provide land surveying services. If you need land surveying services, please contact a professional land surveyor.
Please contact us to discuss the pricing and marking options your project may require.
Can GPRS locate PVC piping and other non-conductive utilities?
GPR scanning is exceptionally effective at locating all types of subsurface materials. There are times when PVC pipes do not provide an adequate signal to ground penetrating radar equipment and can’t be properly located by traditional methods. However, GPRS Project Managers are expertly trained at multiple methods of utility locating.
Can ground penetrating radar be used to verify known measurements?
We can use GPR to cross-check the measured depth and location of a located utility with existing as-built plans to verify the accuracy of plans.
What are the Benefits of Underground Utility Mapping?
Having an updated and accurate map of your subsurface infrastructure reduces accidents, budget overruns, change orders, and project downtime caused by dangerous and costly subsurface damage.
How does SiteMap® assist with Utility Mapping?
SiteMap®, powered by GPRS, is the industry-leading infrastructure management program. It is a single source of truth, housing the 99.8%+ accurate utility locating, concrete scanning, video pipe inspection, leak detection, and 3D laser scanning data our Project Managers collect on your job site. And the best part is you get a complimentary SiteMap® Personal Subscription when GPRS performs a utility locate for you.
Does SiteMap® Work with my Existing GIS Platform?
SiteMap® allows for exporting of data to SHP, GeoJSON, GeoPackage, and DXF directly from any user’s account that either owns or has a job shared to their account. All these file formats can be imported and utilized by other GIS packages if manually imported by the user.
