As the construction industry grapples with the potential of artificial intelligence, fears abound regarding its impact on job security, ethical issues and more. However, in a world in which AI is increasingly reshaping industries, the construction sector stands at an exciting inflection point, according to data from Yooz.

The 2024 Yooz Survey: AI in the Workplace report revealed that negative news about AI is shaping widespread apprehension among U.S. workers. Within the construction industry, AI resistance is high–but optimism is driving curiosity and the desire for more balanced and positive examples of AI adoption. 

Key findings of the survey include:

• Construction Leads in AI Resistance: The construction industry was perceived to have the least prevalent use of AI, as well as the highest level of AI resistance–a sentiment that was consistent both within and outside the industry.
• High Awareness of Negative Uses of AI: Respondents in the construction industry had higher levels of awareness of examples of negative uses of AI–such as phishing, identity theft, document forgery or transaction fraud–with 62% of respondents in the construction industry saying they’re familiar with these uses, in contrast to only 57% of respondents overall.
• AI-Driven Job Loss is a Top Fear: Despite labor shortages across the industry, construction industry respondents fear AI-driven job loss more than respondents from other industries (46% vs. 40%), with only 15% saying it could create new job opportunities.
• High Optimism of the Ethical Use of AI: When asked about their level of optimism about the potential of AI to be used ethically and responsibly in business, 40% of construction industry respondents said they’re very optimistic and believe AI can be a powerful tool for good, vs. the 25% outside the industry who said the same. 
• Social Media Shapes AI Awareness: When asked where they encounter AI news, social media came in first (63%) among construction industry respondents, followed by news websites (52%). Podcasts and YouTube channels came in third at 51%–significantly higher than the 37% of non-construction industries.
• Industry Pros Demand More Balanced AI News: 31% said they “strongly agree” with the statement “I would like to see more balanced coverage of artificial intelligence, with equal focus on both its positive and negative impact,” higher than the 17% of non-construction industry respondents who said the same. Nearly half (48%) intentionally seek out positive AI stories often, compared to the 30% outside the industry.

To begin shifting perception among colleagues and organizations in order to adopt AI technology, Yooz provided the following recommendations for construction leaders:

• Bridge the AI knowledge gap by supporting continuing education, sharing interesting articles and learnings, and hosting regular lunch and learns with teams.
• Educate on AI misconceptions with proactive conversations and focused team-wide learning opportunities.
• Showcase AI success stories, from highlighting incremental uses of AI within the organization to sharing case studies and articles highlighting other organizations.
• Drive dialogue prior to AI deployments with proactive communication, open conversations and intentional feedback loops.
• Provides hands-on experience with AI, allowing teams the freedom to experiment and propose new innovative ideas.
• Explore AI solutions and technologies that could be impactful in different areas of the business. 

“The construction industry is the backbone of our nation, bringing the hope of unbridled growth and opportunity fueled by the AI transformation,” said Laurent Charpentier, CEO of Yooz.  “Despite early apprehension among construction workers, we’re encouraged to see that the industry is eager to understand the full potential of AI and harness its power to reach new heights of success.”

The 2024 Yooz Survey: AI in the Workplace was conducted on Feb. 20 for Yooz by the third-party survey platform Pollfish. The study surveyed 600 U.S. professionals over the age of 18. The respondents were salaried workers with annual household incomes of at least $50,000, representing industries including construction, manufacturing, automotive, retail, restaurant, healthcare, finance and insurance.