Massachusetts Engineers and Architects Have a Tech-Focused Future

With all that’s been in the news regarding artificial intelligence, it is clear that AI is poised to help businesses of all kinds advance considerably in their operations. This is no less true for those in the engineering or architecture industries—there are a few examples that specifically show promise for the use that workers in these industries would seek from AI. Let’s explore how artificial intelligence will soon benefit those in these industries… provided one absolutely critical prerequisite is met.

How Can AI Benefit Engineers and Architects?

There are various ways that AI can help those in architecture, engineering and construction (collectively known as the AEC services sector) more efficiently reach their intended outcomes. One prime example is shown in AutoCAD 2024, the next version of the invaluable modeling software that plays a critical role in AEC processes.

Developed by AutoDesk, AutoCAD 2024’s improvements are heavily focused around the inclusion of AI enhancements.

How Has AutoDesk Augmented AutoCAD with AI?

AutoCAD 2024 features a few new capabilities that clearly demonstrate how AI can be used to make many processes far easier—even eliminating entire steps.

Take, for instance, the Markup Assist feature AutoCAD 2024 comes with. The AEC industry still relies heavily on handwritten notes on documents—in many ways, it remains the easiest option for these businesses, particularly if they are away from the office and reviewing their plans on-site. However, when the time comes to transfer these notes back to the digital version of these plans, AutoCAD 2024 can read and replicate these notes in digital format, incorporating these notes far faster and more easily.

Not only can it add notes to the document, it can recognize strike-throughs and replace the stricken word with the notes next to it. It can even act upon commands written on the document—for instance, if certain elements need to be removed from the document, they can be circled and annotated with erase, delete, or remove. When you consider how many of these notes can be put on any documents during review, the time savings that automating these updates can produce is considerable.

There’s also the fact that AI can make designing with AutoCAD easier now, thanks to improvements to the blocks that represent specific objects. Already useful in establishing consistency in frequently repeated components and objects in these AEC plans—from anything from screws to entire pieces of furniture—these blocks can now be tracked and automatically placed to continue established patterns… another huge potential time saver, simply by taking a small task effectively off the user’s plate.

These kinds of changes are where AI really proves its worth, as they take the small, more administrative tasks off of the engineer or architect and allow them to focus their attention on producing a smarter design.

That Said, You Need to Have the Basics Squared Away, First

From where we stand, it is more than clear that any AEC professional would find these enhanced capabilities extremely valuable, if and only if the rest of their IT is maintained and capable of keeping up with their needs. Otherwise, it’s like trying to build a mansion on quicksand… you can make it as pretty as you want, but without the support it needs, it’s only going to sink and crumble under its own weight.

That’s where Datalyst comes in. We can provide the kind of support that your firm needs, acting as a true partner that understands your business’ requirements and processes. We get it—the technology that your business needs isn’t the same as the average business. You need it to be able to accomplish a little more than an accountant or a journalist or a teacher does.

We can be that partner for you, ensuring that your firm’s network and technology is reliably up to the task, sustaining you in the present and preparing you for the future. Find out more about what we can offer you by giving us a call at (774) 213-9701—and let us know that this blog is why you called us!