Building Smarter: How AI, Robotics and Automation are Reshaping Construction

Chris Creasey, Vice President of National Gaming, Suffolk Construction

On a busy construction site, a small four-wheeled robot glides across a concrete slab, printing precise layout lines for upcoming walls and pipes. Overhead, a drone scans the steel frame that outlines the building and compares the progress to its digital model. Fantasy? Absolutely not. This scene is real, and it is happening now on today’s sites.

For an industry often seen as low-tech, these changes are coming at a needed time. Construction is facing affordability and productivity challenges, persistent safety risks, and a shrinking labor pool. By the start of the next decade, almost half of the U.S. construction workforce is projected to retire and create an even bigger labor gap as demand for new buildings continues to soar.

To bridge these gaps, builders like Suffolk are turning to robotics, automation, and AI to work smarter.

Robotics Boost Efficiency

Leveraging automation in construction relieves workers on-site from repetitive, time-consuming and often physically demanding tasks so they can focus on the higher-value work that will move projects forward.

On active jobsites today, autonomous robots (think Roomba, but for construction sites) effortlessly cruise around printing full-scale MEP drawings directly onto concrete slabs, effectively eliminating days’ or weeks’ worth of manual measuring and chalk drawings that are prone to error and eventual rework.

“Embracing construction technology is about augmenting builder expertise, not replacing it.”

At the same time, drones and robots equipped with advanced scanners are transforming the tasks of surveying and progress tracking. They fly and walk around project sites, taking thousands of detailed images that can be pieced together to assess quality and project progress. In a matter of hours, teams can generate detailed site maps and pictures of project progress to inspect and proactively identify any issues. Using these technologies, jobsite teams are effectively able to compile a live digital twin of the project.

Robotics are not only accelerating the speed at which projects can be completed but also improving accuracy while freeing workers from physically demanding and repetitive tasks. In an industry facing persistent labor shortages, that kind of collaboration is quickly becoming a necessity rather than a novelty.

Enhancing Safety and Predictability

Safety is one of the areas where construction technology is moving from reactive to predictive. Today, with advances in data aggregation and the use of AI, teams are better able to identify risks before an incident occurs.

With inputs like prior incidents and staffing and working conditions that elevate risk, AI-driven algorithms can analyze historical and real-time data to flag high-risk projects before incidents occur. These models can surface where risk is most likely to emerge, allowing teams to intervene earlier with targeted controls, staffing adjustments, or sequenced project tasks.

At the same time, safety management is becoming more centralized and connected. Digital platforms are able to consolidate safety observations, incident reporting, permits, orientations and compliance tracking into a single, unified system that reduces paperwork and improves consistency across projects. This shift enables real-time oversight, faster escalation when issues arise and clearer accountability in the field. More importantly, it creates a reliable data foundation that allows safety to be managed proactively rather than reactively. The result is a more predictable jobsite environment where safety decisions are informed by data, risks are identified sooner, and teams can intervene before minor issues become serious incidents.

Laying the Groundwork for Lasting Change

Integrating new technology into age-old construction processes is not without hurdles. It is easy to quickly point to upfront costs, specialized skill and a “this is how we’ve always done it” mindset as reasons to hold off on bringing technology into the process. Early successes show, however, that a pragmatic and people-first approach can help overcome these barriers. It’s wise to start small and target a specific pain point with a tech solution that brings value in solving it. A smaller successful rollout will build more buy-in and momentum and is more manageable than trying to bring on multiple technologies at once.

Embracing construction technology is about augmenting builder expertise, not replacing it. By staying grounded and focused on practical solutions, the industry can ensure that technology truly serves the needs of the industry and adds value for our clients.