Artificial intelligence is no longer a “someday” conversation for the architecture, engineering, and construction industry. It is already showing up in the tools, workflows, and conversations shaping how AEC professionals work.

As part of a graduate research project through the University of Oklahoma, my research group surveyed professionals across the AEC industry with the help and support of the SMPS Colorado Board and other amazing members of the local AEC community. The goal was to better understand how employees are using AI, what they need from leadership, and what communication strategies may help organizations adopt AI more effectively.

It may come as no surprise to many SMPS members, but employees are not rejecting AI. Many are already using it, testing it, and figuring out where it fits into their work. In fact, 84.5% of respondents reported currently using AI tools at work, and 78.5% said they were likely or very likely to use new AI technologies when relevant to their role. As the research paper notes, “the conversation is less about initial exposure and more about sustained adoption and integration.”  

That shift matters. For AEC firms, the question is not just whether employees have access to AI. It is whether they understand how to use it responsibly, confidently, and in ways that actually support their work.

One of the clearest findings from the survey was the importance of transparency. 96.5% of respondents agreed that communication about AI should be clear and easy to understand, while 95.6% agreed that organizations should explain why AI tools are being introduced and address potential risks and limitations. Employees are not asking for hype. They are asking for clarity. As the paper states, “transparency is not limited to general messaging but must extend to practical, role-relevant implications.”  

The research also showed that the messenger matters. Employees identified direct managers as their most trusted information source at 57.8%, followed by colleagues or coworkers at 49.5%. Training sessions and workshops were the preferred learning format, selected by 72.5% of respondents, followed closely by department or team meetings at 68.8%. In other words, AI adoption cannot live only in executive announcements or company-wide emails. People need space to ask questions, hear examples, and understand what AI means for their actual work.  

Job security also remains part of the conversation. While respondents were generally optimistic, with 78.9% agreeing that AI can help employees work more efficiently and 81.6% agreeing their skills will remain valuable as AI becomes more common, concern has not disappeared. 42.2% agreed that AI could reduce the need for some jobs in their field, while another 31.2% were neutral. The paper summarizes this well: “while employees are generally optimistic, uncertainty about long-term workforce impact persists and may influence adoption behaviors.”  

For AEC firms, that uncertainty is worth paying attention to. This is an industry built on coordination, communication, and knowledge sharing. If employees feel unclear, unsupported, or quietly worried, adoption can stall before a tool ever gets fully used.

The biggest takeaway from the research is simple: AI adoption is not just a technology issue. It is a communication issue. The paper puts it clearly: “Clear, credible communication will determine whether AI adoption gains traction or stalls.”  

For firms thinking about how to introduce or expand AI, the next steps are practical: explain the why, be honest about risks, equip managers and peer champions, address job security directly, and provide hands-on training that connects AI to real workflows.

The tools are already here. The firms that will benefit most are the ones that help their people understand how to use them with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

View the full research presentation: Strategic Communication & AI Adoption at Work