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A groundbreaking new report released today by the ACEC Research Institute, reveals that artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping the engineering and design services industry by enhancing human capability rather than replacing it.
The report, “The Role of Artificial Intelligence in the Engineering Industry,” outlines how engineering firms across the United States are integrating AI technologies to increase productivity, reduce costs, and unlock innovative potential across infrastructure design and delivery.
Based on in-depth interviews with industry leaders and data from two national surveys, the research presents a candid and comprehensive view of where AI stands today, what value it’s delivering, and how firms are preparing for a transformative decade ahead.
“Data is the key to unlocking the superpower within your organization. Your firm is literally sitting on a data gold mine… The opportunity is in harnessing it, leveraging it and monetizing it,” stated Javier A. Baldor, chief executive officer at BST Global, the strategic partner for the Institute’s report.
AI Is Here… and It’s Accelerating Human Talent
Contrary to the trope that AI threatens jobs, the report shows that engineering firms are leveraging AI to enhance the impact of both junior and senior staff. Tasks that once consumed hours like drafting proposals and checking code compliance can now be completed in minutes. That frees engineers to focus on higher-level tasks like complex and innovative design, mentoring, and strategic decision-making.
“AI helps us automate the grunt work so we can focus on trusted advisor-level value,” shared Keith Horn, chief technology officer at POWER Engineers. “It’s not taking jobs—it’s assisting them.”
Key Findings:
85% of firms see AI as essential to their success.
74% expect AI to allow them to maintain staffing levels while increasing output.
68% estimate that AI could automate up to 29% of current tasks.
AI use is most common in marketing and sales (81%), followed by design and project delivery (36%).
Common applications include generative design, infrastructure inspection, predictive maintenance, internal knowledge search, and AI-assisted proposal development.
Challenges Ahead: Breaking the “Black Box”
While enthusiasm is high, firms face critical hurdles to broader adoption of AI technologies ranging from ethical concerns to operational challenges such as cultural resistance, lack of standards, and integration with legacy systems. These barriers are being addressed by industry, and the report suggests that the engineering firms should forge a path forward by investing in people, governance, and strategic partnerships.
The Future: AI as a Design Companion
Interviewees envision AI becoming an embedded design partner that is capable of running real-time simulations, optimizing performance, and democratizing access to expertise across project teams. The report finds that AI’s true potential lies in enabling new business models, including digital service layers and AI-powered design automation subscriptions.
“AI doesn’t replace engineers, it amplifies them,” said Nicolas Mangon, vice president at Autodesk and a contributor to the report. “The future belongs to organizations that use AI to think bigger, not just move faster.”
Methodology
The historical information contained in this report was synthesized following a literature review of various background resources regarding the evolution of AI. The remainder of the report is informed by qualitative insights gathered through in-depth interviews with leaders across the engineering and design services industry. Nineteen interviews were conducted with professionals representing a wide spectrum of organizations, from small and mid-sized firms to large global organizations, as well as technology suppliers developing AI tools for the AEC sector.
In addition to the qualitative interviews, data from two recent surveys is included in this report. The first is the ACEC Research Institute’s quarterly Engineering Business Sentiment survey of 644 firm leaders at ACEC member firms conducted in January 2025 and the second is the AI + Data Insights 2025: Global AEC Industry Report, based on a survey conducted by BST Global in the first quarter of 2025.