At Assemble, we're uniquely positioned to engage in regular discussions with Industry Leaders, covering market trends and future outlooks. In our series, 'Industry Leader Insights,' we're sharing these insights with our community. It features conversations with various industry leaders who offer their perspectives on the market and insights into how their businesses are navigating current conditions.
It was a privilege to speak with George Stirling, CTO and Founder of Allsite.ai, who shared his insights on the transformative role of AI in civil engineering. In the capital-intensive world of land development, time is money, and civil engineering, though critical, is often costly. Allsite.ai's cutting-edge technology is changing the game by accelerating processes without compromising quality.
About Allsite.ai
Founded in 2021, Allsite.ai introduced its first AI product, Service AI 1.0, which automates the design of storm sewer and storm drain systems based on 2D layouts. Utilising a mix of generative design AI and optimisation algorithms, the software minimises clashes and optimises network designs for operational and capital expenses and other engineering considerations.
Building on its success in New Zealand, Allsite.ai embarked on an ambitious R&D program to create a one-click full surface and network design tool tailored to U.S. engineering standards. Two years later, they launched Level AI, a groundbreaking tool that delivers compliant surface and roading designs from simple 2D layouts. This advanced grading optimiser handles everything from detention pond design to flood management and road design, freeing up engineers to focus on more complex challenges.
Perspective on AI
During our chat, George made it clear: "AI isn't about replacing humans with robots. We're still decades away from AI reaching true human-level intelligence." His reassurance should ease any concerns about AI taking over jobs. Instead, he emphasised that AI is task-based, designed to make humans more efficient. The real risk isn't AI taking your job—it's someone using AI becoming ten times more productive than you.
George advises us to see AI as just another tool in our arsenal, much like the transition from pen-and-paper drafting to CAD. Engineers who failed to adapt to CAD were left behind, and AI represents the next evolution in this journey. Over the next 10 to 20 years, we'll witness significant changes, and those who embrace new technologies like AI will lead the way.
The primary benefits of AI are speed and accuracy. Allsite.ai enables rapid design iterations in days, not weeks, with built-in spatial QA checks to ensure compliance with local engineering rules. This allows engineering consultancies to spend more time exploring options and better serving their clients, leading to more informed decision-making and optimised project outcomes.
The technology behind Allsite.ai
Allsite.ai is pioneering a unique approach to solving longstanding problems in civil engineering. Human involvement in design can be slow and prone to error, particularly when junior team members are involved. Allsite.ai automates much of the initial work, allowing engineers to focus on critique, judgment, and refinement. This technology has proven especially beneficial in civil engineering land development projects, helping consultancies accelerate project timelines and improve decision-making for land developers.
Some of the largest home builders in the U.S. have already piloted the technology with impressive results. For example, in a 2,000-home subdivision near Sacramento, California, Allsite.ai's technology balanced earthworks across four stages, designed numerous detention ponds, and even handled a tunnel under a parkway. In another project in the Bay Area, the platform generated over $1 million in earthworks savings by optimising road designs and earthworks balances while ensuring compliance with roading standards.
Challenges and the future of AI in Civil Engineering
Civil engineering is a precise discipline, and integrating generative AI into core design processes presents significant challenges. However, by blending optimisation algorithms with AI models trained for specific tasks, Allsite.ai is achieving remarkable results. AI is also being used in peripheral applications, such as detecting impervious surfaces for detention pond design, where good training datasets and high accuracy are essential.
In New Zealand, Allsite.ai has been successfully applied to numerous projects on steep sites. It delivers insights on earthworks and retaining walls and enables developers to make quick, informed decisions about land viability.
Overcoming scepticism
Given their profession's risk-averse nature, engineers are naturally sceptical. Consider AI like giving the work to an intermediate-level engineer, and it’s only going to get better. Much of this improvement comes from ongoing dialogue with engineers, whose feedback is continuously integrated into the AI, making it more capable and reliable.
The evolution of Civil Engineering
While AI will revolutionise the field, the fundamentals of civil engineering—critical thinking, loading analysis, and understanding local regulations—will always require the human touch. AI won't replace engineers, but it will change how they work, much like the shift from manual drafting to CAD. As George points out, AI’s effectiveness depends on the quality of data input by skilled civil engineers, ensuring the best possible outcomes.
What’s Next?
Allsite.ai is already working on its next big product, Service AI 2.0, which will automatically lay pipes and catch pits. While Level AI considers pipe grades, Service AI 2.0 will take it a step further by laying them out in compliance with engineering standards. The software's development is driven by the engineering mentality of needing a product that does everything—and does it well. As a result, the software is constantly evolving to meet the industry's demands.
Thanks so much to George for his insights. Keep an eye on the Assemble LinkedIn page for more chats with Industry Leaders.