Despite widespread industry perception and claims such as those made in McKinsey’s report – Imagining Construction’s Digital Future – that the construction sector is the least digitalised industry, there is cause for optimism.

Innovative and transformative technological developments like 3D-printed houses, automated construction equipment and prefabricated skyscrapers have emerged, increasing the potential to uplift 10 years of stagnated productivity.

To embrace the use of these new technologies at scale, across complex supply chains, requires people at the core; driving, managing and implementing a new digital way of working. Artificial intelligence will replace certain tasks, particularly those requiring linear and sequential processing or problem solving – but where AI can’t compete is in humans’ ability to innovate, manage and lead. This requires emotion and instinct that robots can’t replicate.

‘Construction needs to reskill more than 600,000 construction people over the next two decades, according to various reports, from trades vulnerable to technological change to new roles created by technology’

…