America has an infrastructure problem. Nearly half of public roads in the United States in poor or average condition. barely 250,000 Bridges across the country will need replacement in the next two decades. A quarter of US GDP depends on five cities, all of which face severe climate risks.
The dramatic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore earlier this year was a stark reminder that some of the most critical parts of the United States’ infrastructure are also the most vulnerable. It took months for the Maryland state government to fully reopen the port; The bridge itself will take years to repair.
More recently, a flood in the Queens-Midtown Tunnel — caused by human error from a crew working nearby — temporarily closed one of the city’s busiest roads. 1 million People move every day.
Doing nothing would be costly, both financially and in terms of public safety. However, the reality is that the United States simply does not have enough labor, resources, or materials to prepare its infrastructure for an uncertain future affected by climate change.
Business leaders are turning the spotlight on artificial intelligence to see how it can change the digital world. But they are only now beginning to understand the enormous impact it can have on the physical world. Artificial intelligence can help us design, build, and rebuild many of the roads, bridges, factories, homes, and cities of the United States, ahead of a rapidly changing future.
Let’s take sustainability for example. The construction industry is one of the world’s largest The most extravagant Sectors responsible for approx 40% of global carbon emissions.
However, they contain huge amounts of data that can help achieve sustainability. Typically, 95% of the data is captured during construction It goes unused. This includes everything from material use and sourcing information to energy consumption metrics, transportation logistics, and even waste production during the construction process.
AI can analyze this data and improve decision-making on material use and energy consumption, reducing project waste.
One example of our work is our partnership with MBH Architects and FactoryOS on the Phoenix Project, an affordable housing project in West Oakland, California. We’ve reduced the time, cost and carbon footprint by nearly half compared to traditional housing in the San Francisco Bay Area. , thanks to AI-enhanced reductions in construction waste.
Projects also include multiple models of architects, engineers, city planners, manufacturers, designers and construction workers. AI can facilitate communications across these massive and often complex endeavors.
Connected data Help improve Transforming Terminal 1 at San Diego International Airport, by allowing all stakeholders in a complex construction project to submit and access data on a common platform.
AI can also reduce the amount of time spent designing major projects from months to mere minutes. By strategically integrating this new technology into the design process, project teams can get information faster without sacrificing quality, allowing everyone to do more in a shorter timeline, and allowing teams to focus on more innovative and productive activities.
Finally, AI can help prevent something like the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse from happening again. It can identify potential problems and help designers create more efficient and durable structures.
But there remains a major obstacle to integrating AI into infrastructure design and construction: the slow adoption of digital technologies by public infrastructure owners.
The United States and other governments need to drive digital transformation in this sector, so it is critical that policymakers strike the right balance between mitigating AI risks while continuing to encourage its development. The opportunity exists for the new US presidential administration and the next Congress to modernize infrastructure development and create a new regulatory framework for artificial intelligence, infrastructure, and safety in a way that does not stifle innovation.
More advanced design requires innovative technology to support it. In the short term, AI will enable companies and governments to make better decisions earlier in the process. Moreover, AI can help human designers express their ingenuity and create a better future, and perhaps help the United States fix its infrastructure crisis before it is too late.
Fortune’s Brainstorm Design Conference returns on December 5 at MGM Cotai in Macau. Panelists and attendees will discuss and debate “Experiences in Experience,” designs that blur the line between the physical and digital worlds to engage users and foster lasting connections. Register here!
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