“Ride the AI wave to your business’s future”, AI is reshaping the business landscape and leaders cannot afford to stand still, says the leading research company, Gartner, in its latest strategic predictions for 2025 and beyond report.
AI certainly isn’t going anywhere, but are we metaphorically running before we can walk? And is today’s tech hype aligned to the day-to-day reality of our industry? These were all questions that RLB Digital’s Head of Digital Development, Malak Abdelmoaty, recently posed in an article in Digital Construction Plus.
Software isn’t a panacea for all
While there are some great software packages out there, many conversations on the ground aren’t about plugging LLMs into their workflows but understanding the data we already have and manage it, and how we create good systems for the future to ensure that data is robust, meaningful and fit for purpose.
Start with a digital health check
Awareness is the first step. Know where you are on your digital journey and what you’re trying to achieve. A practical digital health check will:
- Assess your current information, data and technology landscape
- Identify gaps and risks
- Provide clear, staged recommendations
- and evaluate the potential benefits of AI and other digital technologies that can realistically add value.
Find out more about our Digital Health Check service.
Take a tiered approach
We aren’t acknowledging the elephant in the room that, according to Deloitte, only about 40% of construction businesses use foundational digital technologies, indicating that a significant portion of the construction industry remains undigitised. While tier one multinationals might be integrating generative AI across the asset lifecycle, for many SMEs, automation still means using accounting software to send quotes and invoices. We need to understand all these players are an important part of our industry and take an approach that allows all tiers to participate, collaborate and be included.
So how do we ensure we don’t miss riding the AI wave and progress rather than regress?
- Know your stage and own it. Be honest about readiness and constraints.
- Build strong data foundations. Prioritise governance, structure and interoperability so today’s inputs remain useful tomorrow.
- Digitally enable what works. Enhance proven processes with targeted tech, don’t force fit tools to problems that you don’t have.
- Adopt, assess, iterate. Technology moves fast. Review outcomes frequently to avoid lock-in to processes that age quickly.
The truth is software alone won’t solve the industry’s problems. Assessing current digital maturity, defining realistic goals and pinpointing where tech could genuinely add value will be vital to ensure adoption is smooth and investment, not wasted. By doing so, the sector can ensure that it doesn’t just catch the wave, but rides it, confidently, sustainably and with purpose.
This is an abridged version of an article that first appeared in Digital Construction Plus.
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