The expert assessed the prospects for the introduction of AI on Russian construction sites

The initiative of the Ministry of Construction to use artificial intelligence to control half of the houses under construction by 2030 looks quite feasible. The digitalization of the construction industry is already actively gaining momentum, Valery Tumin, Director of Russian and CIS Markets at Pham Properties, told Izvestia on May 14.

"In practice, elements of artificial intelligence are already being used to monitor construction. Neural networks process video streams from cameras, count the number of workers, track the types of work performed, and evaluate the efficiency of using technology. When deviations from the schedule are detected, the system automatically generates notifications of possible risks and identifies objects that require increased attention from the supervisory authorities," the expert explained.

At the same time, it is too early to talk about the complete replacement of humans with robots. According to Tumin, technologies capable of replacing monoliths, bricklayers or welders do not yet exist on a mass level.

"Full-fledged replacement of manual labor is possible no earlier than in 10-15 years, when there will be a natural generational change in the industry. So far, robotics is effective only where repeatable tasks are involved, primarily in the mass housing construction segment," he explained.

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The high cost of automated equipment and the need to attract qualified specialists for its maintenance remain a limiting factor. At the same time, artificial intelligence is changing not only the construction process itself, but also the final product. Digital building doubles, virtual models that allow real—time monitoring of engineering systems, are becoming increasingly common.

According to the expert, already today the basic elements of a smart home — access control systems, video surveillance and automated meter readings — are incorporated into the project at the construction stage and are gradually becoming the market standard.

However, the mass adoption of AI requires caution. The main risk is related to the opacity of the algorithms. He noted that project neural networks remain a kind of "black box". An error in the calculation of the structural load can lead to serious consequences. That's why AI is now an engineer's support tool, not a full—fledged replacement.

According to the expert, by 2030, artificial intelligence can indeed become a key control tool at a construction site and an important assistant to designers. However, to do this, the market will have to solve three tasks: to reduce the cost of technological solutions, train specialists, and build trust in algorithms.

On the same day, it was reported that in 2030, the construction of 50% of apartment buildings (MCD) under active construction should be carried out under the control of systems based on artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. This follows from the proposals of the Ministry of Construction, which were reviewed by Forbes. The Ministry suggests that within five years, chatbots and AI-based voice assistants should process most of the residents' requests on housing and communal services and recommends that the share of intelligent metering devices connected to the information systems of housing and communal services enterprises be increased to 99%. The introduction of "smart meters" will require investments of billions of rubles amid difficulties with the supply of electronic components and software certification, analysts warn.

On April 28, experts from the Domclick analytical center studied how the structure of demand for new buildings in mortgage transactions has changed over the past few years. At the moment, a steady trend has formed: the share of business-class apartments in rents is gradually increasing, while the economy segment is losing ground.