"We built entire cities using PDFs and drawings. That's not a failure — that's a miracle. Now imagine what we build with the right tools."

In today's episode of Bricks and Bytes, we had Alain Waha, CTO at BuroHappold Engineering, discussing AI transformation, the future of physical AI, and why 2026 already feels like three years have passed in nine weeks.

Tune in to find out about:

✅ Why construction being the least digitized industry is actually its biggest opportunity right now

✅ How AI is finally solving the Tower of Babel problem that's plagued AEC for decades

✅ Why firms need to choose — compete on cost or build a value brand — before it's too late

✅ Why foundational AI models for the physical world don't exist yet, and what it'll take to get there

Catch the full episode on Spotify and YouTube 🎙️

#aec #bricksandbytes #construction #constructiontech #ai

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Chapters

00:00 Intro

02:10 Introduction and Context of Rapid Change

06:38 Industry Size and Structure

12:29 Historical Perspective on Technology in AEC

17:56 The Tower of Babel Problem in AEC

23:33 Navigating the Future of Work

28:12 Value Creation in a Changing Landscape

32:37 Enhancing the Built Environment with Technology

37:18 The Future of Construction: A Digital Transformation

43:02 Cultural Shifts in Engineering and Technology Adoption

51:46 Knowledge Transfer and the Future of AI in Construction