By Catalyst Communications Network Staff

However, a recent survey by Catalyst Communications Network( CCN) reveals that while awareness is high, actual adoption remains in its early stages. Surveying 150 construction professionals across North America— primarily in heavy equipment, lifting and contracting sectors— the results highlight a cautious approach to AI integration.

Key findings include:

• Limited Implementation: Only 18 % of respondents reported active use of AI tools in their daily operations. This limited uptake echoes broader industry trends, as companies grapple with implementation challenges even as AI’ s potential becomes increasingly clear.

• Awareness is Growing: 72 % of respondents believe AI could significantly improve efficiency in areas such as scheduling and risk management.

• Barriers to Adoption: Cost( cited by 45 %), lack of training( 32 %) and integration concerns with existing workflows( 25 %) were cited as the top hurdles.

• Early Wins: Among adopters, 65 % reported benefits in predictive analytics for equipment maintenance and site safety, aligning with emerging tools highlighted in recent industry reports.

These results come at a time when AI is making headlines for its role in addressing longstanding crane operation and construction challenges. A July 2025 survey by Slate Technologies reinforces CCN’ s findings, showing that while 74 % of construction leaders see value in AI, only 13 % plan to adopt it soon. This“ belief-action gap” suggests the industry is still in the exploratory phase, with many firms testing AI on a small scale before full commitment.

Setting the Stage Experts emphasize that early adoption, though limited, is laying the groundwork for broader transformation.“ If 2024 was the year that AI in construction started to walk, then 2025 will be the year it starts to run,” said an Autodesk executive in their May 2025 State of Design & Make Report, updated with 2025 insights. They predict AI will“ significantly impact the construction industry by enhancing productivity and addressing labor shortages,” particularly through tools that simplify workflows and reduce manual tasks.

Michael Morris, writing for EC & M in July 2025, highlights a similar sentiment:“ Construction leaders back AI but adoption remains limited,” noting that while 65 % of leaders haven’ t adopted AI, those who have are seeing up to 30 % reductions in project delays through predictive analytics. This aligns with CCN’ s survey, where early adopters praised AI for flagging hazards in real-time, a critical need in crane and lifting operations.

In a FactorLab study from summer 2025, a crane contractor’ s safety director shared a practical example:“ The objective was to move attention away from backend, retrospective metrics to what was actively taking place in the field.” By using AI to analyze pre-job safety

AI Success is Rooted in Data

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22 l November-December 2025