As AI becomes part of the daily routine of built environment professionals, Tom Wilcock of Arup argues that embracing experimentation, balanced with risk, can help the sector resolve some of its biggest challenges from sustainability to recruiting the next generation of engineers, architects and planners
In the two-and-a-half years since Chat GPT was made available for public use, artificial intelligence (AI) has captured the public’s imagination, moved to the centre of corporate agendas and opened a new front in geopolitics.
The incredible potential of current generation models, and the speed with which they are improving, has created feverish excitement and concern.
Behind the glitz and the headlines, it can be easy to miss the impact AI is already having within the economy, including in sectors not famous for their speed of change.
AI is now found in the daily activities of engineers, architects and planners worldwide, not just for administrative tasks but increasingly as part of core design processes. From streamlining design workflows to helping optimise energy efficiency, AI is being adopted rapidly in ways that are reshaping our cities and infrastructure.
Solving problems that matter
As urban areas face growing challenges from climate change, AI tools are helping city planners embrace new approaches to water management that integrate natural dimensions into the design of city systems.
This is only possible due to the capabilities created by machine learning in conjunction with satellite imagery. Together, these technologies allow planners to consider solutions that cross many scales – from local tree planting to regional water catchment management. Similar approaches are also helping assess and address the challenges of urban heat islands.
Crucially, these approaches go beyond diagnostics; they enable integrated, early-stage design decisions. This is helping designers and planners create infrastructure that doesn’t just minimise harm but actively helps our environment, supports biodiversity and increases city resilience.
Decarbonising the sector
To explore attitudes to AI and adoption in our industry, Arup commissioned a global survey of 5,000 professionals working in the built environment.
The results show that a third of engineers and architects in the UK are now using AI daily, often in advanced ways to support efforts around climate action and biodiversity.
But while uptake is clearly growing, the conversation around AI adoption is shifting. It’s no longer just about whether we use AI, it’s about how well we’re using it.
In a sector where embodied carbon accounts for a large component of a project’s footprint, AI allows the industry to take a more sustainable path. We are using advanced AI and engineering analysis to assess the structural integrity and future lifespan of critical infrastructure, from offshore wind farms to long-span bridges. These insights make it possible to safely assess and extend asset life.
The technology is also revolutionising the early design process. Incorporating AI into our approach is enabling teams to rapidly test and refine design options – helping solve for multiple factors simultaneously and facilitating lower-carbon design options.
The next generation
Easily accessible AI is transforming the way the next generation of engineers and designers approach their roles. Consumer facing applications such as ChatGPT, Claude, MidJourney and DeepSeek have made sophisticated AI accessible to a much wider audience. This is being bolstered by recent developments in reasoning models, which are allowing creative thinkers to experiment, prototype and problem-solve in ways that were previously out of reach.
The availability of AI is not only accelerating innovation but also inspiring a new wave of talent to think bigger, more systemically and sustainably from the start. Rather than being siloed into narrow roles, emerging professionals are now empowered to work across disciplines, test ideas instantly and make data-informed decisions early in the design process.
These tools are not replacing creativity; they are amplifying it. By doing so, they’re helping to shape a generation of practitioners who are better equipped to address the urgent challenges of climate, equity and resilience, through better design.
Looking ahead
The consequences of the decisions engineers and designers make can have profound impacts. For organisations working in the built environment, embracing a culture of experimentation will be essential but must be balanced with a clear understanding of risk.
We must be clear that design responsibility remains with our professionals and find new ways to test, iterate and scale ideas safely.
When combined with high-quality data and deep domain knowledge, AI can become a powerful enabler of new solutions. At Arup, we’ve long believed in the power of technology to enhance human creativity and tackle complex problems. In the right hands, AI can catalyse a smarter, fairer and more sustainable future.
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