Adopting AI will make engineering firms more knowledgeable, efficient and profitable

Bret Tushaus is VP of Product Management at Deltek

Given the speed at which AI is progressing, it’s not surprising that this technology is leaving its mark on the world of architecture and engineering (A&E). The introduction of AI in A&E is equipping firms with the tools they need to become more knowledgeable, efficient and, ultimately, more profitable.

However, for all the promise and excitement around AI, widespread adoption remains a significant challenge. Deltek’s Clarity: Trends and Insights for Architecture, Engineering and Consulting Firms research finds that more than half (53%) of A&E firms report adopting AI is a top challenge for their business. This is a result of businesses grappling with many issues associated with navigating this new, fast-moving technology, such as data accessibility, limited employee awareness, and the complexities of implementation.

Nonetheless, overcoming these AI adoption challenges should be a top priority. Leveraging AI to streamline the project management lifecycle early on and integrating it into business operations could give firms a significant jump on their competitors.

At Deltek, discovering new ways businesses can benefit from leveraging AI technology is key to keeping our solutions relevant and adding value to our customers.

How AI is transforming Deltek project nation

41% of architecture and engineering firms recognise AI as being very important to their business, holding the potential to streamline content creation, facilitate decision-making, and even prescribe and automate action. Following 2023’s economic and workforce challenges, the rise of AI couldn’t have come at a better time for the project landscape.

AI has the capability to increase project efficiencies by empowering strategic decision-making through analysing historical performance and data inputs. For example, if an A&E firm consolidates all its data within one platform, AI has the capability to predict the probability of winning a potential project, run a report on a project’s progress in seconds and make predictions about the future of the project. These insights, which traditionally take hours to collate, empower organisations to distribute resources, understand where investments are best made and focus efforts with greater precision and effectiveness.

Using AI to tackle A&E challenges

The same Deltek research found that admin workload is a top challenge for more than a third (37%) of A&E companies, with managing project-related emails a hurdle for over one in three (36%). On a day-to-day basis, admin-related challenges are almost always more time consuming than predicted. It is these moments that hit productivity most. What can be perceived as a simple task – for example, responding to client emails – in reality takes up 25% of our day. For project-based business, this time waste has a huge impact on the business’ bottom line.

The integration of AI can ease these pressures through automation, allowing project managers to dedicate more time to the human aspect of their projects. While the human-touch is always going to be needed with clients, AI holds the potential to streamline and automate admin workload. Rather than spending hours collating a report for a client each week, AI has the capability to instantly collate all the required insights in moments whenever needed. For example, rather than spending hours bringing another member of the team up to speed on a project, AI can instantly pull together an introduction – including all the vital information. Taking responsibility for admin-heavy tasks, AI enables project managers to focus on the areas of business where humans add the most value. For example, building relationships, exploring new business opportunities, and handling critical situations.

Through these simple efficiencies, AI possesses the potential to elevate project performance metrics by forecasting project outcomes based on current trajectory and historical data.

AI’s power being embraced by A&E firms

When integrating AI into A&E firms, it’s worth remembering this technology is still relatively new, which means it comes with some challenges. Successful adoption will come from A&E companies embracing adaptability and resilience in the face of the unknown, or yet-to-be-tested. By strategically investing in state-of-the-art technology – through partner integrations or seamless integration within the business – organisations can demonstrate their commitment to enhancing efficiency and productivity.

The rapid advancement of AI has introduced a learning curve for all businesses. Ensuring decision makers stay at the forefront of industry trends is essential to determining which technologies will and won’t be useful to their organisation.

For many organisations, the question comes down to what next and how to begin. The key is being on the journey and pinpointing the most significant benefits. This comprehensive approach fosters success, resilience, and competitiveness in a business landscape that is evolving at a rapid pace.

The A&E industry stands at the brink of an extraordinary era driven by AI. Companies that embrace its transformative potential will thrive in an increasingly competitive environment. The path forward is crystal clear: seize the opportunities around AI, embrace streamlined business processes and empower project managers with essential business information in moments, rather than hours. By doing so, project-based businesses will continue to progress, adapt, and flourish in the era of artificial intelligence.

• Bret Tushaus is VP of Product Management at Deltek

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