“Groundbreaking” AI

A new system called Artificial Intelligence Construction Engineering (ALICE) is being pilot tested on several building projects to determine whether or not it can significantly improve construction schedules. The system is given a 3D model of the proposed building from which it generates several million options for assembling it. Then, based on multiple parameters such as location, cost limitations, and availability of machinery and workers, ALICE selects a few of those options and begins scheduling how the work should be completed.

The plan includes specifying when people and equipment need to be on site, in what order things should be built, and how components will fit together. ALICE can also help to resolve schedule delays.

Around 20 companies are involved in the trial, which includes three multimillion dollar projects in Chicago and Seattle. In preliminary testing last year on a hospital that was already partially completed, ALICE reportedly still succeeded in cutting construction time by a couple of weeks. It’s been estimated that using ALICE can cut project schedules by up to 16 percent while saving nearly 15 percent in project costs.