A new global survey has revealed that almost a third of Australian engineers, architects, city planners, and digital leaders are now relying on artificial intelligence (AI) every day to design and manage cities and infrastructure, closely mirroring the global average.
The research, commissioned by Arup, highlights the rapid integration of advanced AI tools far beyond chatbots, with 32 per cent of Australian professionals using AI daily and 85 per cent at least weekly.
Attitudes towards AI among Australia’s built environment professionals are overwhelmingly positive.
The survey found that 73 per cent see AI as an opportunity, well above the global average of 60 per cent, and only 12 per cent express concerns about job losses.
The top uses for AI in Australia include design work, developing digital twins, and experimentation or research and development.
Arup’s Global Head of Digital Services Will Cavendish said: “It’s encouraging to see AI being rapidly adopted in Australia’s built environment industry.
“The technology will be crucial to meeting the challenges the country faces, like delivering major infrastructure projects, tackling rising heat levels and mitigating floods and drought.”
Australian respondents see AI as a critical tool for delivering projects on time and within budget, and for addressing climate and nature crises.
Many are already leveraging AI for large-scale simulations, machine learning-based data analytics, and science-based AI to tackle complex project work.
Applications include:
- Waste reduction
- Development of sustainable materials
- Optimisation of renewable energy
- Modelling nature-based solutions to protect against heatwaves and floods in cities like Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane
The vast majority (94 per cent) of Australian built environment professionals believe it is important to have ethical guidelines for AI in their sector.
However, 61 per cent express apprehension about the dominance of global tech companies in AI development, a figure significantly higher than the global average of 49 per cent.
Arup is urging governments, industry, and investors to increase focus and resources on developing AI tools that can decarbonise the sector and restore nature, while delivering prosperity and resilient infrastructure.
The firm notes that in 2024 alone, US$252 billion was invested globally in AI, and argues that if just 10 per cent of this were directed to designing AI for major challenges in the built environment, it could radically transform the sector and improve lives.
