Canadian construction leaders see AI promise, but adoption remains limited
Canadian construction leaders see AI promise, but adoption remains limited
Publish Date: 2026-07-06 06:39:00
Source Domain: canada.constructconnect.com
Artificial intelligence may be reshaping industries across the Canadian economy, but the nation’s construction sector is still in the early stages of its AI journey, a number of reports conclude.
Despite the promise, construction continues to lag behind industries such as finance and insurance, scientific and technical services and information and cultural services when it comes to AI adoption.
An AI in Construction Report 2026 prepared by Vancouver-based consulting firm Scius Advisory and authored by researcher Rachelle Hendrickson found while adoption levels in construction remain notably lower than in many other sectors, momentum is beginning to build.
The report found growing investment, increasing awareness of AI’s potential and rising pressure to improve productivity are helping push the industry toward broader acceptance of the technology.
The intention to adopt AI software increased from eight per cent of construction companies in the second quarter of 2024 to 9.6 per cent in the second quarter of 2025, and the intention to adopt AI hardware increased from 2.8 to 3.6 per cent in the same time frame. However, the report indicates those numbers are substantially lower than those of many other industries.
According to the report, AI and machine-learning systems can assist with safety management, cost forecasting, scheduling, quality control, supply chain logistics, risk management, dispute resolution and sustainability analysis.
AI integrated with Building Information Modelling (BIM) can streamline workflows and improve project management, while AI-powered robotics offer opportunities to address labour shortages and accelerate project delivery.
For smaller contractors, the appeal may be even greater.
Automation of administrative tasks could reduce overhead and free staff to focus on revenue-generating work.
Among the most significant barriers identified in the Scius report is a lack of knowledge and expertise surrounding AI technology.
Many…
