New Bluebeam Research Reveals Growing AI Use in Construction, but Regulatory & Talent Challenges Persist

PASADENA, Calif., (Oct. 24, 2024) — Bluebeam, a developer of solutions and services for architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) professionals worldwide and part of the Nemetschek Group, announced findings from its new global report — Building the Future: Bluebeam AEC Technology Outlook 2025. The report, based on a survey of AEC managers across regions, reveals significant investment in artificial intelligence (AI) by AEC companies globally, with almost three quarters (74%) reporting they’re now using AI within one or more phases of their building projects. However, over half (54%) of those using AI are concerned about AI regulation and of those, 44% say these concerns are having a real impact on AI implementation within their companies.

The report reveals that AI implementation is particularly prevalent in the design and planning phases of construction. Almost half of AEC firms are using AI for design (48%) and planning (42%) specifically. Within the companies that are using AI, over half (55%) agree that AI has become highly important, with over 70% now allocating up to 25% of their budget to AI. This is set to rise as the vast majority (84%) plan to increase their investment in AI over the next five years.  

Beyond AI, the report highlights trends in the adoption of digital tools more broadly in the AEC industry, with technology most frequently utilized during the construction (77%), design (77%), and planning (74%) phases of building projects. Building information modeling (BIM) is the most-used technology (69%), followed by Computer-Aided Design (CAD) (54%) and project management software (53%).  

Technology Skills Shortage Continues to Be a Barrier to AEC Digitization 
The report reveals that AEC firms face significant roadblocks in driving greater technology adoption and digitization, with a third (32%) reporting a lack of training and skills development within their employees as a key challenge to increased digitization. Other barriers include integration (27%) and technical (26%) issues. This is despite the adoption of digital tools helping construction firms drive significant cost savings, with over a third (35%) of respondents reporting cost savings between $100,000 and $500,000 through the use of new technologies.  

These challenges driving digitization continue to hold AEC firms back from eliminating paper-based physical documents from the construction process, with almost three quarters (72%) still using paper during one or more phases of the building life cycle. Of those firms who continue to rely on paper, the need for physical signatures or approvals was cited by almost half (46%) as the top reason behind continuing to use outdated paper-based processes. 
“As digitization and the use of AI within the AEC sector increases, reliance on outdated paper-based approaches will continue to shrink, helping to drive cost savings and improve sustainability efforts in construction,” said Usman Shuja, CEO at Bluebeam. “AI is already revolutionizing the building process, so it is essential that educators, technology providers and construction industry leaders work together to produce new training initiatives that can capitalize on these innovations by helping bridge the AEC technology skills gap so we can continue to move the industry forward.”

AEC Sustainability Efforts Held Back By Continued Digitization Roadblocks 
With only around a quarter (28%) of respondents not reliant on paper, sustainability efforts within the AEC sector continue to stall. The report highlights continued struggles with sustainability among AEC firms, with just half (50%) of respondents rating sustainability efforts at their companies as successful.  

Despite widespread recognition of the need to urgently improve sustainability within the construction sector, most respondents surveyed (73%) said their companies allocate less than 25% of their budgets to sustainability initiatives. However, half (50%) also said they expect sustainability budgets to increase in the next year, signaling a renewed focus on improving sustainability efforts within construction in 2025.  

Download the full report: Building the Future: Bluebeam AEC Technology Outlook 2025.