Balancing Tradition and Technology in Bringing AI to AEC

In this episode of the AI AEC show, host Aarni Heiskanen discusses the integration and challenges of AI in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry with Antti Ainamo, a keynote speaker and an associate professor at the University of Tartu. Antti shares his journey from a business background to AI research and explores three institutional pillars—regulative, normative, and cultural cognitive—that impact AI adoption in AEC. He emphasizes the necessity of balancing traditional and technological approaches and highlights the roles of business strategy, technology integration, and ecosystem evolution in driving industry transformation. Antti underscores the importance of understanding user needs within the AEC industry. The adoption of AI should not be a top-down imposition of technology; rather, it should be a collaborative process that considers the perspectives of all stakeholders involved, including decision-makers and end-users such as construction workers, architects, and engineers. The discussion concludes with a preview of Antti’s upcoming keynote at the AI in AEC conference. Connect with Antti on LinkedIn. Listen to the interview