How Architecture, Engineering and Construction Firms Are Using AI, Automation and Data to Futureproof Operations

In the most recent Deltek Clarity Study, we found that 78% of firms expect to lose market share within two years if they fail to make significant progress in digital transformation.

To explore this topic in more detail, we gathered leading experts from across the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry on our recent webinar, where they discussed some of the practical steps firms can take to embed data and technology within their practices. Our discussion featured:

• Bret Tushaus, Vice President, Product Management at Deltek
• Sara Mehrabi PhD, Vice President, D&A and Decision Intelligence at COWI
• Gavin Seaton, Digital Transformation Director at Morris & Spottiswood
• John Seabourn, Chief Digital & Information Officer at APEM Group

You can watch the full discussion here to hear all our experts' thoughts. Here are some of the key takeaways.

How Firms Are Gaining Their Edge with a Tech-First Approach

Digital transformation is no longer a future initiative – it is a present-day imperative shaping how businesses compete, grow and stay resilient. Companies that embrace innovation are uncovering new service opportunities, strengthening operations and positioning themselves for long-term success.

As part of Deltek's annual Clarity Study, we surveyed 200 UK-based firms to understand their evolving business priorities. The findings reveal a clear shift towards technology-first strategies. The top three focus areas – investing in technology, effectively implementing innovations and enhancing cybersecurity - underscore this trend.

Notably, 87% of respondents believe that AI investment will expand the services they can offer. And 79% plan to increase their investment in AI and cybersecurity this year.

Harnessing AI to Build Decision Intelligence

It's unsurprising that AI is so high on firms' agendas. Across all industries, there's been a race to understand this technology and find the most impactful use cases. While 87% of surveyed firms believe AI can expand their service offerings, 82% worry competitors will adopt it faster.

Sara Mehrabi, Vice President of D&A and Decision Intelligence at COWI, emphasized the significance of a strong data foundation in order to facilitate AI for her organization. She emphasized the potential of AI to enhance business operations and provide new services and products.

Sara highlighted that COWI is transitioning from relying only on conventional business intelligence to including decision intelligence as a complement, which enables proactive actions to be taking place. COWI is using advanced analytics and AI in order to conduct an analysis of the several aspects of project performance data in order to get a deeper comprehension of the factors that contribute to performance patterns. Basic analysis provides insights into fundamental connections, but AI enabled them to examine and compare multiple parameter combinations, which eventually started to reveal more complicated patterns. These discoveries revealed enormous chances to enhance performance via the implementation of activities that are particular and pertinent across a variety of sectors, geographical areas, and groups.

For businesses that are feeling the push to embrace AI, small, high-impact efforts may lead to enormous long-term rewards. As a first step, Sara says to focus on small, achievable goals that would provide real, measurable benefit. She emphasizes that the genuine worth of a solution is determined by how well it tackles the particular issue that is being faced at the moment. It is not necessary for it to be the most cutting-edge or expensive solution; as long as it is a solution that properly addresses the issue, it has the potential to make a significant influence on the company.

A Case Study for Driving Efficiency and Growth Through Smart Automation

One of the major benefits of incorporating the latest technology, including AI, into your business is the opportunity to bring new efficiencies to everyday work. Gavin Seaton, Digital Transformation Director at Morris & Spottiswood, shared his insights into how automation is used there. Morris & Spottiswood, a 100-year-old family business, has grown from an £85 million annual turnover business to £285 million in just four years.

Gavin attributes this sustainable growth to leveraging automation with the right data and platforms. The company has successfully used automation to simplify complex, long-standing business processes. For example, automating parts of the on-site skip delivery process significantly increased satisfaction with waste brokers from 62% to 96%. The full webinar explains how this was achieved and offers Gavin's top tips for successfully leveraging process automation.

However, he also stressed that "with just about all of the automation we've done, human intervention has been vital."

A recurring theme throughout the discussion, particularly when it comes to automating business processes, was the critical role of people in any tech-driven transformation. While AI and automation bring clear benefits like greater efficiency, accuracy and scalability, the key message for employees is simple: they're here to support them by easing workloads and reducing stress, not replace them. As Gavin noted, "If you use automation correctly, it can remove the little things that add to an already fast-paced, stressful work environment."

Mitigating Cybersecurity Risks in the Digital Age

Introducing new technology often expands the threat landscape for cybersecurity attacks. This is a significant concern for AEC firms, largely due to complex supply chains, remote working and outdated software and systems. In fact, 89% of larger firms are highly concerned about cybersecurity risks and breaches.

The panelists shared several actions to help organizations protect their data. Here are the top three:

• Make cybersecurity a leadership priority to ensure it receives necessary resources and visibility.
• Invest in employee training. Human error is often the weakest link, and empowered staff serve as the first line of defense.
• Strengthen your incident response to prevent attacks and respond quickly and effectively when they occur.

Embedding cybersecurity into a company's strategy and culture allows firms to innovate confidently without compromising their digital defenses. Success in this area, much like other aspects of digital transformation, relies as heavily on human behavior as it does on technology. As John Seabourn, Chief Digital & Information Officer at APEM Group, emphasized, "The people element is most important. Individuals will always be the weakest link."

Despite the rise of advanced AI tools designed to block malicious emails, cybercriminals are leveraging equally sophisticated AI-driven tactics to craft phishing attempts that are increasingly difficult to detect. These emails often appear highly authentic, making it challenging for even the most vigilant employees to recognize them as threats. John points out that while organizations can invest heavily in technology and AI to filter out harmful messages, some phishing tactics are now so advanced that they can bypass even the most robust defenses.

Recognizing this, John emphasizes the importance of addressing the human element in cybersecurity. He advises that discussions about cyber risks must take place at the highest levels of an organization. If these conversations aren't happening at the executive and board levels, it represents a significant vulnerability. A truly resilient cybersecurity posture requires a culture of awareness that starts with leadership and is embraced across all teams. By fostering this kind of environment, companies can better prepare their people to recognize and respond to sophisticated threats.

Want to Learn More?

The full webinar explored a range of topics, including barriers to tech adoption and how to overcome them, key statistics from the 6th Annual Deltek Clarity Study, and how to engage your workforce in technology initiatives.

If you'd like to learn more, you can watch the full conversation and view our experts' case studies in more detail.