#088 - AI for AEC Firms: A Practical Orientation

How to implement an AI strategy that creates competitive advantage, not just new overhead.

This article is adapted from a keynote I delivered to the Motus Consult client reception in Calgary, Alberta, Canada on November 7, 2025. The audience was primarily architects and engineering firm leaders exploring how to integrate AI into their practices.

What follows is a distilled version of the frameworks and principles we discussed, focused on the practical fundamentals of AI implementation for professional services firms.

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We’re at an inflection point. AI adoption in the architecture, engineering, and construction sector is no longer experimental. Text-based AI tools have matured to the point where they’re reliable enough for professional use.

I will avoid the debate about reliability/accuracy/hallucinations. We all should accept that we are professionally responsible for checking/verifying outputs.

The pressure to integrate AI is coming from three directions simultaneously.

First: Client expectations are evolving. Your clients are using these tools. They know what’s possible. They’re starting to expect the resulting efficiencies to be reflected in your deliverables and your fees.

Second: A capability gap is widening. Large firms are building dedicated data science teams. Small and mid-size firms are limited to off-the-shelf solutions. This creates competitive disparity and opportunity.

Third: AI strategy is now a baseline expectation. It’s become a key indicator of firm competence. Not having a coherent approach signals that you’re behind.

The data bears this out. According to BST Global’s 2025 AEC Industry Report, only 20% of firms feel prepared to integrate AI technologies. Yet 75% expect it to significantly impact profitability, and 89% see project design and delivery as a top area for AI-driven revenue gains.

There’s a gap between ambition and capability. That gap is where you can build competitive advantage with some deliberate moves.

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Where to Focus Your AI Efforts