NYC Regional City Program: Session 4A: Artificial Intelligence in the Built Environment

2 November 2019
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Structural engineering is a very old craft and profession but new advances in computing and artificial intelligence algorithms will allow many aspects of engineering to be fully automated. Robert Otani, Chief Technology Officer at Thornton Tomasetti, will discuss recent advances using AI in structural engineering.

The power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) will greatly disrupt the conventional engineering practice within the next 10-15 years. We believe that up to 40% of structural engineering can be automated using Artificial Intelligence and many other processes involved with the business of engineering like project management, accounting, and marketing will be at least be augmented by Artificial Intelligence.

In designing structures, there are many mundane and repetitive tasks that engineers are essentially overqualified for. AI can automate those tasks allowing engineers to spend their time being creative and solving problems. In its most powerful form, AI may predict designs and solutions beyond what an engineer today can do with conventional techniques.