"AI and Robotics to Drive Innovation in Construction Industry... Workforce Structure Expected to Be Reshaped"

Construction Industry Research Institute of Korea Hosts 'Construction Rebirth 2.0' Seminar

"AI Emerges as a Key Means of Connecting the Construction Value Chain

Government Support and Ecosystem Development Needed"

There has been a claim that artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics technology will become the key drivers of innovation in the construction industry.

On April 7, at the "Rebirth of the Construction Industry 2.0" seminar held at the Construction Center in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Seok-in Choi, Head of Planning and Management at the Construction Industry Research Institute of Korea (CIRI), stated, "AI and robotics will serve as tools to connect the fragmented construction value chain and drive innovation."

Rebirth of the Construction Industry 2.0: Vision and Implementation Foundation. Provided by the Construction Industry Research Institute

Choi explained, "In the future, the boundaries between sectors such as design and construction will collapse, and companies that lead AI-based integrated platforms will dominate the industry. By leveraging AI and robotics, it will be possible to achieve a variety of outcomes, such as increased productivity, enhanced safety, improved quality, and reduced financial costs by eliminating business risks." In fact, humanoid robots currently being developed by companies such as Tesla and Boston Dynamics are emerging as viable alternatives for deployment at construction sites within the next 2 to 4 years.

He predicted that if AI-based integrated platforms are actively utilized, the workforce structure in the construction industry will be reorganized from simple repetitive tasks to roles that focus on value judgment. Choi added, "In the future, the workforce structure should shift from simple repetitive tasks to roles that emphasize value judgment and responsibility."

There was also an opinion that government cultivation and support are necessary to harness the development of AI. Youngjun Jeon, head of the research center at CIRI, emphasized the need for a construction data ecosystem, stating, "The government should be responsible for building a core public data ecosystem, and private companies should selectively build the vertical AI they need through a tiered approach."

He also suggested that existing laws and regulations need to be revised so that robotics technology and AI can be utilized at construction sites. Jeon stressed, "The current Construction Machinery Management Act and the Intelligent Robot Development and Distribution Promotion Act are structured only for scenarios in which humans operate equipment or bear legal responsibility. There is a need to rationalize regulations so that AI-powered construction machinery and humanoids can actually be used at construction sites."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.