It is summertime here in the United States and we are taking some time to look at one of the hottest technologies in business today: AI (artificial intelligence). Today’s blog is going to be a bit of an alphabet soup, as we look at the role of AI in BIM (building information modeling).
As many of us already know, BIM isn’t necessarily a specific type of technology, but rather it is a process for collecting data about a project and sharing it with the construction team. Here at Constructech, we explain BIM as a collaborative process to collect and manage data bout time (4D), cost (5D), sustainability (6D), and facilities management (7D), and it is enabled by technologies.
The concept of BIM dates back decades too—back to the 1970s—and it was popularized in the 2000s. Today, BIM centers around getting all stakeholders involved in sharing data.
For those of you that have been following along this summer, you know we are embarking on a summer “hot” technology series, looking at AI. Our series is unfolding in a couple of stages. In the first stage, we looked at AI throughout the lifecycle of a construction project—from design, to build, to operate—and we certainly talked about the opportunities for AI to impact BIM throughout the lifecycle of a project.
But now, we are moving into the second phase of the blog series, where we are turning our attention to specific applications where gen AI could bring new benefits. We have already explored bidding and estimating, accounting, and project management. Now, let’s take a few minutes to look specifically at AI’s impact on BIM.
AI can help automate tasks and analyze the BIM data. This will ultimately lead to better decision making, enabling a construction project to be completed on time and on budget. Looking to the future, this growth will continue as well.
ResearchAndMarkets suggests the global market for artificial intelligence in construction was estimated at $1.8 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach $12.1 billion by 2030, which is a growth rate of 31% from 2023 to 2030. The research suggests it will lead to greater advanced automation, predictive analytics, and precision management.
One primary application is in project planning and scheduling, where AI can analyze historical project data to create realistic timelines and anticipate potential delays, enabling better resource allocation and cost control. It is AI throughout the lifecycle of a construction project like we talked about in the early days of this blog series.
The bottomline is change is coming—and construction companies must be prepared for how to best leverage the technology to improve their business. Stay tuned. In the coming weeks, we will look at how to create a business strategy around AI for process and workforce.
Do you have BIM technology designed specifically for the construction industry? We want to hear about it! Submit it for our 2026 Constructech Top Products award program. Make sure to enter your product for consideration.
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