There’s no question that artificial intelligence helps construction professionals do their jobs more efficiently and effectively. These innovations simplify the complex and multiply output, in essence acting as extensions of the human team. But using AI for construction has its risks if you aren’t selective about the tools you use to augment your work, especially when it comes to security. In this post, we’ll cover a few security risks associated with using AI tools and what to look for in a secure and transparent AI solution.
What Are the Risks of Using AI for Construction?
The biggest risk of using AI for anything, construction or otherwise, is data privacy. Large language models (LLM) and other AI tools use massive datasets to train themselves, often with consent agreements buried in a lengthy terms and conditions document. This could include personal data (think addresses, birthdates, etc.) or other sensitive information. From its largely uninformed use by the average internet user, an additional vulnerability emerges: data security.
Data breaches happen, and if you use AI tools for work, hackers and other bad actors could gain access to confidential customer or internal information. That’s an awful and helpless scenario that will cost you financially in the short-term and bankrupt your reputation in the long-term.
Furthermore, the tools you use could share data you don’t want out there. While AI technology is powerful, it isn’t flawless. They may remember and share confidential and/or proprietary information, which would be catastrophic.
While less serious than data privacy and security concerns, one must consider the transparency of an AI tool. It should be clear when a model makes a suggestion, so it is easy to find and correct if need be. Speaking strictly in terms of construction, AI-generated suggestions about or changes to estimates, designs, scopes or proposals should be obvious to keep you from presenting options that don’t meet owner standards or exceed the budget.
Finally, you want to avoid biased results. This is especially important now that some models are allowing advertising. You want your AI tool to serve up the best results for your business, not the best results for theirs. Be on the lookout for bias in your preferred AI model’s responses and remember to scrutinize them.
What Should You Look for in an AI Construction Data Tool?
To keep it as simple as possible, it is a best practice to invest in AI models that eradicate the risks we previously explored. Those that not only make risks as painless as possible, but those that take them off the table entirely. Look for solutions that commit to keeping your data private. The tools that won’t use your data to train their AI models are the safest. Plus, you would be wise to use only AI construction tools that filter out and remove sensitive data before processing.
Yet, as we established, data security and data privacy are two different things. Find AI tools that are incorporated into secure software platforms you already use and trust. Tools integrated into products that have a high standard for security will safeguard your data (and your customers’) and give you peace of mind.
AI for construction activities is best when it’s not only intelligent, but it’s transparent. Tools that clearly denote AI-generated suggestions and changes make it easy to accept them or replace them. You should be able to find these suggestions quickly. Otherwise, you’ll lose some of the efficiency AI helped you gain.
Finally, confirm your preferred AI tool generates unbiased data. Accuracy and reliability are paramount in any industry, especially so in construction. Any model worth your time and investment should use industry-leading models and data, and should undergo regular testing to ensure accuracy.
Not Any AI Tool Will Do
Use of AI for construction increases every day. But not every tool is created equal. Look for models that prioritize privacy, security, transparency and that are objective. These are the AI tools that can help you and your staff be more successful.
Curious about Gordian’s approach to artificial intelligence? Read our Commitment to Responsible AI.
