"There’s a clear paradox. The organisations that most need technology to reduce uncertainty are the least likely to adopt it. That’s a risk in itself"
- Sean Cole - Currie and Brown
More than three-quarters (77%) of construction and infrastructure leaders worldwide believe artificial intelligence will play a critical role in project delivery over the next five years. While 54% say it outperforms other tools in reducing project uncertainty, new research highlights that organisational agility and adaptability remain the real differentiators.
The findings come from a study of more than 1,000 senior decision makers in global organisations, commissioned by Currie & Brown, a provider of cost management, project management and advisory services.
AI adoption gap widening
The report, Building certainty in an era of relentless change, reveals a growing divide between organisations that have integrated AI into their project management processes and those that have not. Only 25% of respondents said they regularly use AI to identify, monitor or mitigate risk in construction projects, while 20% admitted they do not use it at all.
Among non-adopters, 48% said uncertainty has delayed their use of AI, with just 31% believing the technology can help them manage it. By contrast, 49% of regular AI users reported that uncertainty has actually accelerated their adoption, and 65% said AI helps them mitigate uncertainty.
Cultural and organisational barriers
The biggest obstacles to AI adoption appear to be cultural rather than technological. Among non-adopters, 40% cited a lack of expertise, while 39% said resistance to change within their organisations was the main barrier.
The report suggests that companies demonstrating greater flexibility and openness to innovation are better equipped to respond to shifting market conditions and manage risk across the value chain. Over three-quarters of AI adopters described themselves as very confident in their ability to achieve project goals, compared with lower confidence levels among those yet to embrace AI.
“There’s a clear paradox. The organisations that most need technology to reduce uncertainty are the least likely to adopt it. That’s a risk in itself,” said Sean Cole, senior director and global high-tech lead at Currie & Brown. “AI has real potential to reduce risk, improve performance and strengthen delivery. But it’s not the starting point. Agile organisations are already ahead. They are quicker to spot risk and better equipped to manage it using tools like AI. That should be a wake-up call for the industry.
“Delivering certainty starts with mindset. It means thinking differently, acting faster and adapting continuously,” Cole continued. “Certainty and resilience aren’t just by-products of technology. They’re the result of deliberate, focused leadership.”
