Artificial intelligence is moving rapidly from an emerging technology to a practical tool in construction. Across the industry, contractors are exploring how AI can streamline administrative work, analyze large volumes of information and support project planning and decision-making.
For deep foundation contractors, the potential is significant – but so are the questions surrounding accuracy, accountability and the preservation of hard-earned field expertise. For Ken Clark, P.Eng., executive vice-president at HC Matcon Inc., the conversation around AI is not about replacing experience. It is about finding ways to use technology as an effective assistive tool while ensuring experienced professionals remain firmly in the loop.
“About the middle of last year, we recognized that the continued development of AI was likely to significantly impact our industry,” Clark said.
That recognition prompted HC Matcon Inc. to take a measured approach to adoption. The company is investing resources and capital to evaluate AI solutions that can improve project planning, project management and operational efficiency. For a company that lives and dies by the accuracy of its documents and drawings, one of the earliest and most tangible benefits of AI has come from the review process itself.
“Currently, an area of great value is assisting with the review and analysis of project documents and drawings,” Clark said.
The ability to quickly process project information could prove valuable on complex foundation projects where contractors must work through extensive drawings, specifications and other documentation. AI can help identify information and potential issues more efficiently, giving project teams another tool for managing the volume of data associated with modern construction.
The line between tool and judgment
One of the central challenges surrounding AI adoption is determining where technology should end and professional judgment should begin. Clark is careful and consistent on this point. AI at HC Matcon is not making the final call on anything that matters. “Currently, we are not relying solely on AI’s judgment. Instead, we are using it in an assistive role. However, it appears this could change quickly,” he said.
“Strong problem-solving skills, an understanding of constructability and the ability to recognize when AI may be incorrect or missing important context will become increasingly valuable.”
Ken Clark, HC Matcon Inc.
Clark is not dismissive of AI’s trajectory. He is watching it closely, aware that the boundary between assistive tool and decision-maker may not hold indefinitely. Asked what AI still cannot do that an experienced project manager or field leader can, Clark’s answer was concise: “Constructability assessments and risks.”
It is a short answer but a telling one. In deep foundations, where ground conditions can shift without warning and every drilling program carries its own risk profile, constructability is not a checkbox. It is judgment built from years of encountering the unexpected.
When the field doesn’t follow the plan
Deep foundation work presents a constant reminder that construction rarely unfolds exactly as anticipated. Ground conditions can vary, equipment performance can change, and decisions often have to be made with incomplete information. Clark points to drilling through varying bedrock hardness as an example.
“With regard to changes in bedrock hardness encountered during drilling and their impact on drilling productivity, determining the appropriate tooling and drilling methodology requires experienced personnel,” Clark explained.
The example illustrates why field knowledge remains so valuable. Recognizing the change is one thing; under standing its implications and selecting an appropriate response requires experience. “AI can quickly analyze large amounts of information, identify potential risks and provide recommendations, allowing experienced professionals to make more informed and efficient decisions,” said Clark.
The technology can help teams work through information more efficiently, but it does not remove the need for people who understand how conditions on the ground can affect a project’s means, methods and outcomes.
A genuine concern for the next generation
For Clark, the focus should not just be what AI can do, but also about what its growing capability might mean for the people who will inherit the industry. He is concerned that increasing reliance on AI could affect how younger professionals develop experience and critical thinking skills.
“This is an area of concern for me,” Clark said. “Currently, experienced and knowledgeable people are essential to ensuring projects are executed safely and efficiently. AI is already being used to assist with planning, analysis and decision-making, but every thing it produces or recommends is still reviewed by experienced professionals, who often identify errors or omissions.”
For an industry built around conditions that cannot always be predicted from a drawing, the human element remains fundamental.
Clark fears that the technology intended to make the industry more efficient could, over time, weaken the judgment that construction depends on.
“As AI continues to evolve and its capabilities improve, I am concerned that fewer young professionals will develop the experience and critical thinking skills needed to work independently of AI. There may come a time when AI becomes the primary source of information and direction, with very little human oversight – or even the ability to effectively challenge its recommendations. If AI is wrong, there is a risk that no one will recognize it. I hope this is not the path we take and that we adopt AI in a thoughtful and balanced way, ensuring it remains a tool that enhances human expertise rather than replaces it,” he said.
Experience is not simply accumulated through access to information. It is developed through years of observing projects, solving problems and learning how planned work responds to actual conditions in the field.
Verification comes first
As contractors explore AI applications, one of the most important disciplines will be learning how to verify its output. AI-generated information can appear authoritative even when it contains errors or lacks important context. For contractors, establishing appropriate verification practices is therefore essential, particularly before applying AI to unfamiliar or high-consequence tasks. Clark takes a careful approach: “Currently, contractors should be cautious with all AI-generated information, particularly in areas or topics that AI has not yet been widely used by them.”
Rather than introducing AI into unfamiliar applications immediately, Clark recommends starting where teams already have strong knowledge. “Start by implementing AI for tasks that you know well so you can quickly assess whether the output is correct and accurate,” he said.
For contractors, this approach provides a practical starting point. Familiar tasks give teams the ability to compare AI-generated results against their own experience, identify shortcomings and establish appropriate verification procedures before expanding into more complex applications.
Building AI skills without losing field knowledge
The adoption of AI raises another important question about workforce development. If technology can increasingly provide answers, how will the next generation of construction professionals develop the expertise needed to recognize when those answers are wrong? If AI is going to take on more of the analytical heavy lifting, Clark believes the human skill set around it needs to sharpen rather than soften.
“Strong problem-solving skills, an understanding of constructability and the ability to recognize when AI may be incorrect or missing important context will become increasingly valuable,” he said. “While proficiency in using AI tools will be important, the ability to independently verify and apply their output safely and effectively will remain essential.”
“If AI is wrong, there is a risk that no one will recognize it.”
Ken Clark, HC Matcon Inc.
That means training cannot focus solely on technology. Leadership, mentorship and hands-on experience will remain important as companies introduce AI into their workflows. The goal is not to create a workforce that simply knows how to use AI. It is to develop professionals who understand the technology well enough to use it effectively while retaining the ability to think independently. He further said that leadership plays a significant role in establishing that culture.
“Leadership plays a critical role in establishing AI as a tool to support – not replace – experienced professionals. It is important to create a culture where AI is used responsibly, its output is verified and people continue to think critically rather than accepting AI-generated information at face value,” Clark added.
That approach places accountability with the people using the technology rather than the technology itself. It also creates a framework in which younger professionals can learn to use AI without allowing it to replace the process of developing their own knowledge and judgment.
The next five to 10 years
AI’s role in construction is likely to expand considerably over the next decade. Clark expects the technology to become increasingly useful across administrative and analytical functions. Looking further out, he expects AI to take on a substantial share of the industry’s administrative and analytical workload.
“It will likely automate many administrative tasks, assist with estimating, scheduling, document review, risk identification, quality control and analysis of large amounts of project data, allowing project teams to make decisions more efficiently,” he said. But he draws a firm line around what he believes will remain irreducibly human. “I believe experienced people will always be required to provide engineering judgment, assess constructability, adapt to unexpected site conditions, make safety-critical decisions and determine the most appropriate means and methods for construction,” Clark said.
For deep foundations contractors, that future could mean project teams equipped with increasingly capable tools for managing information, identifying potential issues and supporting decisions. It could also allow experienced professionals to spend more time on the decisions that require interpretation, judgment and accountability. AI can review information in seconds, identify patterns across large datasets and generate recommendations. It cannot eliminate the unpredictability of the ground or replace the practical understanding developed through years of construction experience.
For an industry built around conditions that cannot always be predicted from a drawing, that human element remains fundamental.
The future of AI in deep foundations is unlikely to be about choosing between people and technology. Instead, it will be about creating a stronger partnership between the two – using AI to process information and support better decisions while ensuring experienced professionals remain capable of questioning, verifying and ultimately taking responsibility for those decisions.