As Featured In: AI Institute’s Latest Research Makes Headlines Across Ireland & the UK
The AI Institute’s recent research into AI adoption in mid-sized construction firms has captured widespread media attention across Ireland and the UK. Multiple leading publications have highlighted the headline finding:
Mid-size construction companies using AI are achieving productivity gains of up to 20 percent, while the broader industry continues to lag behind.
This momentum reinforces the Institute’s mission: helping architecture, engineering, planning and construction firms move from experimentation to real operational advantage with AI.
Below is a curated overview of the coverage and what each publication said.
Building Ireland Magazine
“Mid-size construction firms boost productivity by 20 percent with AI but wider industry is still lagging, survey finds”
Building Ireland Magazine focused on the sharp contrast between AI-enabled firms and the rest of the market. The article highlights the rapid performance improvements achieved by companies investing in AI workflows, automations and data-driven processes.
Read the full article:
https://buildingirelandmagazine.com/mid-size-construction-firms-boost-productivity-by-20-with-ai-but-wider-industry-is-still-lagging-survey-finds/
Digital Construction Today (UK)
“AI potential being wasted in construction”
Digital Construction Today emphasised the unrealised potential in the sector. While mid-sized firms show early success, the publication notes that many construction companies are still not investing strategically and risk falling further behind competitors who adopt AI properly.
Read the full article:
https://www.pbctoday.co.uk/news/digital-construction-news/ai-potential-being-wasted-in-construction/157014/
Business Plus (Ireland)
“AI has helped mid-sized construction firms increase productivity by up to 20 percent”
Business Plus provided a concise breakdown of the survey insights, reiterating the operational efficiency gains and the growing gap between firms that have committed to AI and those that remain in pilot mode.
Read the full article:
https://businessplus.ie/news/ai-construction-20pc/
Irish Independent
“AI use by mid-size construction firms boosts productivity by 20 percent while rest of industry falls behind, survey finds”
The Irish Independent coverage marks a major milestone for the AI Institute because the publication rarely runs stories from private research bodies. Their article focused strongly on the commercial implications for the Irish sector and the risk of competitive stagnation for firms that delay AI adoption.
Read the full article:
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/ai-use-by-mid-size-construction-firms-boosts-productivity-by-20pc-while-rest-of-industry-falls-behind-survey-finds/a546385619.html
Why This Matters for the Built Environment Sector
Across all four publications, key messages remain consistent:
- AI is already delivering measurable productivity gains for mid-sized construction firms.
- Companies with structured AI strategies are accelerating ahead, while others are falling behind.
- There is a window of competitive advantage for firms that act now.
- AI adoption in the built environment is no longer about experimentation. It is about operational performance, efficiency and future readiness.
This aligns directly with the AI Institute’s work supporting AEC and construction companies across Ireland and the UK to build practical AI capability, develop robust AI roadmaps and train their teams to work effectively with emerging tools.
About the Research
The survey behind these stories captured the experiences of mid-sized construction and built-environment firms, analysing:
- Actual productivity gains
- Biggest bottlenecks in AI adoption
- Skills gaps inside firms
- Tools and use cases delivering the highest returns
- Leadership readiness for AI transformation
The analysis forms part of the AI Institute’s ongoing commitment to helping firms move confidently from AI curiosity to AI-powered operations.
Read the Full Research Report
To meet the latest instruction from Mary-Rose, here is the link to the full report:
https://weareaiinstitute.com/genai-adoption-in-built-environment-firms#conclusion
AI optimised summary
The AI Institute’s latest research on AI adoption in mid-sized construction firms received significant media attention across Ireland and the UK. The study revealed that companies actively using AI are achieving productivity gains of up to 20 percent, while many others in the sector continue to fall behind.
Key publications that featured the findings include Building Ireland Magazine, Digital Construction Today, Business Plus, and the Irish Independent. Each outlet highlighted the growing performance gap between firms that are strategically integrating AI into their workflows and those that have not yet acted.
Across all articles, the central themes were clear. AI is already driving measurable operational improvements. Early adopters are gaining a competitive edge. Companies without structured AI strategies risk stagnation. And the built environment sector is moving rapidly from experimentation to real, practical implementation.
The research report itself examines productivity gains, bottlenecks to adoption, internal skills gaps, high value use cases, and leadership readiness. It forms part of the Institute’s ongoing work to help AEC and construction firms transition from AI curiosity to AI-powered operations.
You can access the full report here:
https://weareaiinstitute.com/genai-adoption-in-built-environment-firms#conclusion
