AI adoption trends in UK construction businesses

According to recent data from the ONS Business Insights report, only 21% of UK businesses have adopted artificial intelligence technologies, marking a modest increase of 5% since September last year.

While overall AI uptake has improved, a majority of businesses, at 79%, still do not incorporate AI into their operations.

The report indicates that the construction industry has particularly low adoption rates, with only 12% of businesses using AI technologies.

The findings highlight the ongoing challenges faced by industries in leveraging AI, with many sectors slow to integrate the technology.

Reasons behind AI adoption in business

Among UK businesses utilising AI, the ONS data shows that 40% are doing so to streamline business operations.

Meanwhile, 24% have implemented AI to enhance customer experience by personalising products and services.

The business benefits of AI are increasingly noted across industries, though many sectors, especially construction, continue to lag in adoption.

Mike Talbot, CTO at SFG20, commented on the impact AI could have within the building maintenance sector: “Recent developments in AI create the opportunity to revolutionise how the industry approaches the process of building maintenance.

“The biggest challenge for facilities managers is identifying what tasks must be performed on each asset in a building to preserve life, reduce cost, and stay compliant with the law.”

Building maintenance and AI integration

The application of AI in building maintenance has grown, benefitting owners, managers, engineers, and construction workers.

AI has the potential to reduce the time required to schedule and perform maintenance tasks, helping ensure compliance and lower costs.

Talbot explained how AI simplifies this process by analysing assets and aligning them with SFG20 schedules, automating much of the compliance and risk management process.

Talbot stated that with AI, many tasks in building maintenance can be automated and completed faster: “AI can now shoulder the load of these tasks and reduce the time taken from months to hours by understanding both the asset and the SFG20 schedules that apply – automatically creating a link in many cases and providing the key questions to ask where not enough information exists.”

Upcoming insights at SFG20 Virtual Summit

Mike Talbot is set to discuss AI’s role in building maintenance at the SFG20 Virtual Summit 2024, scheduled for Wednesday, 20th November.

Talbot will join a virtual panel of experts to discuss practical AI use cases, best practices, and the impact of AI from an engineer’s perspective on-site.

Tickets for the virtual event are available through the SFG20 summit portal.

AI adoption among UK businesses remains low despite recent growth: Summary

Data from the ONS Business Insights report shows that AI adoption among UK businesses has increased by 5% since last year, with only 21% of companies now utilising the technology.

The construction industry, in particular, shows a low adoption rate, with just 12% incorporating AI.

According to ONS, most businesses implementing AI aim to improve operations or customise services.

Mike Talbot, CTO at SFG20, highlighted the benefits of AI in building maintenance, noting it could streamline compliance and scheduling tasks.

Talbot will speak on these topics at the upcoming SFG20 Virtual Summit 2024.