For centuries, construction was about brute force. The next century will be about intelligence—smart materials, robotic precision, and data-driven design.
— Jim Carroll
The opportunity
Create optimized building designs based on specific performance criteria, automate complex construction tasks, minimize material waste, and enable novel architectural forms.
From “Decoding Tomorrow: The Way Forward: #5 Construction: “For centuries, construction was about brute force. The next century will be about intelligence—smart materials, robotic precision, and data-driven design.”” (September 2025)
AI-driven design and project management . Artificial intelligence is becoming the new engine of construction intelligence, used to generate optimized designs, predict project timelines, and identify potential safety risks.
AI-driven project management platforms can automate complex scheduling and resource allocation, predict potential delays, and provide real-time progress tracking for better decision-making. In the preconstruction phase, AI tools enhance the accuracy of estimating, providing realistic forecasts for labor, material, and equipment costs, thereby reducing the risk of budget overruns. I had a construction event in Chicago where one company displayed a stunning piece of estimating software which shaves significant time off of the estimation process. On-site, AI-powered systems, often utilizing drones and computer vision, can monitor for safety hazards and ensure compliance with protocols.
From “From NASA to Nestlé: 250 Customized Keynotes, One Futurist!” (July 2026)
Customized keynote topics have included: AI and robotics in construction • Intelligent and smart infrastructure • 3D-printed concrete construction • Connected energy and renewable infrastructure • Smart and connected homes • Digital twin technology in construction • Commercial and industrial real estate disruption • Urban reimagination and smart cities • Automated and robotic construction methods • Solar-generating building materials • Managing accelerating fire and construction risk • Housing innovation amid economic volatility
Jim’s keynote for this construction insurance underwriter covered the rapid dominance of solar and wind infrastructure with battery storage, 3D printing in concrete, and new AI-driven robotic assembly processes reshaping residential and commercial construction. The talk blended construction, smart-building and future-risk themes for FM Global’s regional managers.
Customized keynote topics have included: AI and robotics in construction • Intelligent and smart infrastructure • 3D-printed concrete construction • Connected energy and renewable infrastructure • Smart and connected homes • Digital twin technology in construction • Commercial and industrial real estate disruption • Urban reimagination and smart cities • Automated and robotic construction methods • Solar-generating building materials • Managing accelerating fire and construction risk • Housing innovation amid economic volatility
From “AI Megatrends - AI In Construction: Methodology, Insight, Planning and Project Management - Reinveinting an Industry At Speed” (April 2023)
As in many other industries, the construction sector has already been on a path to digitisation with the acceleration of technology. Computer-aided design (CAD) and building information modelling (BIM) concepts have accelerated the design and build process, but these have been but baby steps in a complex voyage.
Consider, for example, what we have been doing with efforts involving the digitisation of the project management (PM) process. We need to carefully manage the ordering and procurement, fabrication and assembly of millions of individual components, and manage extremely complex projects. What if we could automate some of this, kick out the exceptions for analysis, and ignore the rest?
AI will expand to cover more use cases across the entire asset life cycle, from concept and feasibility to design and engineering, pre-construction, construction, and operations and maintenance1.
Read the full pieces on jimcarroll.com:
Decoding Tomorrow: The Way Forward: #5 Construction: “For centuries, construction was about brute force. The next century will be about intelligence—smart materials, robotic precision, and data-driven design.”
From NASA to Nestlé: 250 Customized Keynotes, One Futurist!
AI Megatrends - AI In Construction: Methodology, Insight, Planning and Project Management - Reinveinting an Industry At Speed