53
New research from PlanRadar, a leading platform for 360° digital documentation, communication and reporting in construction, facility management and real estate projects, reveals that construction professionals increasingly see AI as a practical support tool rather than a threat to their roles. Based on a January 2026 survey of 1,728 construction professionals across the Middle East and Global Markets, the findings point to a growing gap between the industry’s recognition of AI’s value and the pace of actual investment.
Among surveyed respondents in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the main barrier to wider AI adoption is not fear of job loss, but confidence in how AI is applied in day-to-day project workflows and how easily teams can adopt it. In Saudi Arabia, 63% cite accuracy and trust in AI recommendations as their main concern, followed by the learning curve or complexity of adoption at 33% and data privacy and security at 26%. In the UAE, 59% cite accuracy and trust as their main concern, followed by learning curve or complexity at 29%, while data privacy and security and integration with existing systems are both cited by 18%.
“What construction professionals in Saudi Arabia and the UAE are telling us is clear: the conversation is moving beyond whether AI belongs in construction. Both governments have made AI a cornerstone of national strategy. Saudi Arabia through Vision 2030 and SDAIA, the UAE through its AI Strategy 2031. The infrastructure ambition is there. The bigger question is whether it can be trusted, introduced practically, and adopted smoothly by project teams under real delivery conditions. That is where technology providers and employers now need to focus,” said Andrey Belogortsev, Regional Manager – MENA & APAC – PlanRadar.
Globally, more than half of respondents say they would be more likely to stay with their current organisation if it significantly increased investment in digital tools with AI capabilities, including one in four who say they would be significantly more likely to stay. Yet nearly half report that their organisations have no current plans to invest in such tools.
The research also challenges a common assumption about AI in construction. Fear of job displacement ranks lowest among reported concerns globally. Nearly half of respondents spend 11 or more hours per week on administrative tasks, and among those already using AI-integrated tools, two in three report saving at least two hours per week, per project, on administrative and coordination work.
Keeping projects on schedule and managing mid-project changes are the two biggest day-to-day challenges identified by respondents. 58% believe AI could help reduce workload across their biggest day-to-day challenges, while 65% believe AI could streamline their biggest administrative time drains.
“Construction professionals are spending more than a full working day every week on tasks they believe AI could help reduce or streamline. At the same time, more than half say stronger investment in technology and AI would make them more likely to stay with their employer. That makes this more than a productivity conversation. It is also a talent and retention issue for construction businesses operating under growing delivery pressure,” added Ibrahim Imam, Co-Founder and CEO of PlanRadar.
PlanRadar was built to address precisely these concerns
The platform brings together 360° digital documentation, communication and reporting in a single AI-powered platform. According to the report, more than half of respondents have already adopted a central digital tool to track mid-project changes, and among those adopters, four in five report an improved ability to control costs or protect project margins. The report also finds that more than a third of adopters report faster approvals and responses, while AI-enabled users report time savings and fewer delays caused by lost or unclear requests. The full report is available at : Managing Project Changes in the Age of AI – PlanRadar