AI is already paying off for consultants, but human oversight is becoming the differentiator

2026-09-17T06:00:00

Construction consultants are reporting tangible returns from AI investment. The firms that pull ahead will be those that can show not just efficiency gains, but better services, stronger oversight and clearer value for clients

Another week, another existential crisis. Breakthroughs in artificial intelligence could either save humanity or destroy it, depending on who you listen to. The truth is that no one has yet worked out how to regulate a technology advancing at extraordinary speed. Concerns have steadily grown and are now being expressed in alarming terms: one AI safety expert has warned of a 10% chance that it could kill all humans within a decade. That certainly caught people’s attention.

For most people in business, however, the immediate questions are considerably less existential. What is worth paying for? Will the investment improve productivity or services? And how can businesses make sure the technology is being used responsibly?

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