Tag Archives: technology

What AI Can’t Replace in Engineering

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Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the world today, including the construction industry. With AI, we can now analyse data and run complex simulations almost instantly. In construction for example, AI supports and optimises the use of BIM and other digital tools for scheduling, cost estimation, and even hazard identification.

Yet amid all this technological acceleration, a common question emerges:

“will humans compete with AI in the future?“

However, from my perspective as an engineer, the question that we should be asking is:

“In the future, what truly differentiates engineers from AI?“

I believe one of the key differentiators is engineering judgement. Today, there are many capabilities that AI performs better than humans, such as faster calculations and large-scale data processing. However, AI cannot take responsibility for decisions. AI cannot judge and decide.

http://www.gapingvoid.com

Engineering judgement is the ability to interpret data, understand context, evaluate trade-offs, and make decisions. While in construction context, the judgement need to consider safety, ethics, and long-term consequences as well. At the end, it is humans, not machines (or AI), who are held accountable.

AI can analyse and optimise.
But only humans can judge.

If engineering judgement that differentiates engineers from AI so the next important question that should be raised is:

“how do we develop this judgement?”

From my experience, there are two elements that play a crucial role: formal engineering education, and first-hand project experience

Formal education which through schools or universities provides engineers with foundational theories, frameworks, and problem-solving approaches. This knowledge shapes how engineers think. However, classroom knowledge alone is not enough to develop engineering judgement.

Judgement develops when theory is tested against reality. In construction projects, we usually face tight deadlines, budget constraints, site limitations, and often incomplete information. These exposure to project challenges can gradually strengthen engineering judgement. My interactions with senior engineers and experts clearly demonstrate how deeply their judgement has been shaped by years of experience in the project.

Actually, the importance of understanding fundamental engineering principles became especially clear to me a few years ago while I’m still work a lot with BIM. During a BIM session I delivered at a university, one student asked a question I still remember clearly:

“Is it still important to learn basic structural analysis when we already have BIM?”

My answer was immediate:

“Yes! absolutely.”

In many cases, BIM is merely a tool. Without a solid understanding of engineering fundamentals, it becomes a classic case of garbage in, garbage out. Models and analysis may look impressive but without proper judgement, the outputs can be misleading. Today, In the midst of increasing AI adoption, that question still stay with me, and sometimes I asked myself:

“What should future civil engineering students learn in class? Will they still study fundamental like structural analysis or geotechnical engineering the way we did?”

My answer remains exactly the same as the one I gave years ago:

“Yes, absolutely.”

Because learning engineering fundamentals: understanding frameworks, engineering mechanics, and problem-solving approaches remains essential. AI does not replace engineering thinking. It supports and enhances our ability to analyse and optimise, but it does not decide for us.

Again, engineering judgement stands on two pillars: strong fundamental engineering knowledge and project experience. As AI becomes more embedded in engineering workflows, the real risk is not that engineers will become obsolete, but that they may become over-reliant on AI without sufficient understanding or judgement.

The future does not belong to engineers who merely operate AI. It belongs to engineers who:

  1. Master fundamentals
  2. Understand the project
  3. Exercise engineering judgement through experience

In the end, engineering is not just about computation, calculation, or analysis.
It is about responsibility.

Rethinking BIM Adoption: Why BIM is Not One-Size-Fits-All

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For the past decade, I have worked across various roles in an Indonesian contractor. From site and project management to BIM management and digital leadership. During this journey, I have seen BIM praised as a silver bullet and mandated as a requirement. However, one thing that I learned is:

BIM is not a one-size-fits-all. Its value depends on how well it is tailored to each project objectives and requirements.

Without this tailoring, BIM implementation can become layer of complexity which adding processes without necessarily improving outcomes. Only when it is aligned with clear purposes, BIM becomes a strategic enabler not just a deliverable.

BIM Dimension (parametric-architecture.com)

In theory, full BIM implementation at the highest maturity level on every project sounds ideal. in practice, especially within the Indonesian construction industry, it is neither optimal nor realistic. Because projects vary significantly in scale, complexity, delivery method, client maturity, digital capability and expectation. Applying the same BIM scope to a small building project and a large, complex data center, for example, rarely makes sense. The effort and cost may outweigh the benefits.

Over the years, my own question has shifted from “Can we use BIM?” to “How we can reap the maximum Benefits of BIM?”. BIM delivers its greatest impact when it is treated as an enabler, not merely a contractual deliverable. In successful projects, BIM is aligned with clear, practical objectives, such as:

  • Supporting method statements and construction sequencing
  • Improving coordination between structure, architecture, and MEP
  • Reducing rework through clash detection
  • Improving safety planning and hazard identification

A more effective approach is to right-size BIM implementation, so we need to understand its purposes. For example at tender stage, BIM may focus on construction sequencing, and quantity take offs to support pricing and budgeting. For low complexity project progress monitoring and quantity support may be sufficient. While for high risk project (line data center with complex MEP) needs deeper BIM integration for advance coordination and staging. The key is to be selective, ensuring that the effort invested is proportional to the value created.

Contractors operate under tight margins. Hence, every additional scope of BIM must therefore be justified. A mature BIM strategy should considers

  • Cost of modeling and coordination
  • BIM competency within the project team
  • Time required to develop and update the models
  • Expected reduction in rework, or claims

When BIM is tailored correctly, the benefit-cost ratio becomes positive. On the other hand, when BIM is over engineered, the ratio might flip.

In Indonesia, currently BIM adoption is growing, but maturity levels still vary widely across clients, consultants, and contractors. However the competency gap has narrowed over the past few years. A successful BIM implementation requires understanding of the project and clear purposes of its BIM adoption. The goal is not to do everything digitally but to build smarter digitally and physically. After 10 years working within an Indonesian contractor, my conviction about BIM is simple:

BIM should adapt to the project, not force the project to adapt BIM

When BIM is tailored and aligned with project objectives, delivery strategy, and cost realities, it becomes a powerful enabler. The future of BIM in Indonesia lies not in the highest level implementation, but in smart, purpose-based, and value-driven adoption. Just as every construction project is unique, BIM implementation should be too.