AI: threat or opportunity?

Tuesday 16 July 2024

Camilla Siggaard Andersen

Practice Leader
Hassell

Alia Centofanti

Principal - Director of Design, Interiors
HOK

Dale Sinclair

Head of Innovation
WSP

Reem El Khatib

Risk and Research Manager, AVP
Lockton Companies

Martine Wauben

Head of Data for London
Greater London Authority

Watch back this NLA Debate exploring AI: a threat to built environment jobs or a valuable technology improving efficiency?

According to an upcoming report on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Built Environment from Future Places Studio, the London Property Alliance, and Gardiner & Theobald, 37% of architecture and engineering tasks could be automated by AI. A survey conducted as part of this research additionally found that 48.6% of participants were worried about how AI might change their profession.

From increasingly sophisticated cyber-attacks to making some roles obsolete, does AI present a threat to the built environment industry? Or is AI a valuable, time-saving tool that could automate tasks, and unlock time for creative thinking and innovation?

Could AI-generated simulations and models be leveraged to design more efficient and sustainable urban spaces and reduce risk? On the other hand, is there a risk of unregulated AI-driven decisions in urban planning and construction inadvertently perpetuating biases present in the data?

This NLA Debate brought together voices from across the built environment community to put forward arguments around the challenges and opportunities of the unchartered territory of AI for the built environment community.