How Will Civil Engineering be Impacted by AI? We Asked an Expert Faculty Member in the Field

Is civil engineering safe from AI?

If you're just skimming, here's what you need to know: AI isn't replacing civil engineers anytime soon. While it can streamline repetitive tasks and improve efficiency, civil engineers remain responsible for the critical thinking, judgment, and accountability required to keep people safe and infrastructure functioning. Read on to learn how Professor of geomatics, Yelda Turkan, believes AI will influence the field and what changes are already underway.

Yelda Turkan, professor of geomatics

Yelda Turkan is a professor in the School of Civil and Construction Engineering at Oregon State University. She holds a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Waterloo in Canada. She holds B.S. degrees (double major) in Civil Engineering and Geomatics Engineering, as well as a M.S. degree in Remote Sensing, all from Istanbul Technical University.

Turkan's research interests and experience are centered on computer vision and machine learning applications for a sustainable and resilient built environment. She leverages tools such as lidar and digital twins to innovate planning, monitoring, and controlling construction operations, and improve decision making in the built environment.

How will AI change civil engineering?

Question:

Many prospective students worry that artificial intelligence could replace engineering jobs. In your field, how do you see AI changing the role of engineers over the next 10 to 20 years?

Answer:

AI will help civil engineers complete routine tasks more quickly, explore design options, and identify problems earlier. Civil engineers will spend more time making decisions, solving complex problems, and working with communities.

AI will open up new opportunities for future civil engineers. It will help civil engineers design safer and more sustainable buildings and infrastructure more quickly. It can rapidly process large amounts of data, compare many design options, and automate or support tasks such as analyzing drone, robot, and sensor data. This will give engineers more time to evaluate alternatives, consider their impacts, and make better-informed decisions.

What parts of civil engineering can't AI replace?

Question:

What aspects of your engineering discipline do you believe will always require human judgment, creativity or expertise, even as AI becomes more advanced?

Answer:

Human judgment will continue to be essential for evaluating whether a design is safe, practical, and appropriate for a specific community.

Civil engineers are responsible for protecting public safety. Even if AI produces most of a bridge design, a structural engineer must review and approve it; and remains professionally responsible if that design fails.

Human creativity and expertise are also needed because every project has unique conditions, risks, and community needs that AI may not fully understand.

Will AI reduce demand for civil engineers?

Question:

Do you expect demand for engineers in your field to increase, decrease or change significantly because of AI? Why?

Answer:

I expect demand for civil engineers to remain strong and likely increase. Communities still need engineers to build and maintain infrastructure, address climate change, and replace aging systems.

AI will change how engineers work, but it will not remove the need for their expertise.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for civil engineers is expected to grow 6% from 2025-2035 (faster than the average growth rate of 3% for all occupations).

New career opportunities AI is creating

Question:

What new jobs or career paths do you think will emerge in your field because of AI?

Answer:

We will see more careers in areas such as digital twins, infrastructure data analysis, robotic and drone-based inspection, smart cities, and AI-assisted design and construction.

Many traditional civil engineering jobs will also include new AI-related responsibilities.

Digital twins blend lidar scans and sensor data into one living model. Instead of comparing documents, such as drawings, inspection notes, and photos, engineers consult a single, updated model.

What skills should future civil engineers learn?

Question:

What skills should engineering students develop today to succeed in an AI-enabled future?

Answer:

Students need strong civil engineering fundamentals, including how structures, construction materials, soil, water, and transportation systems behave.

Skills in surveying, mapping, spatial data, construction planning, cost estimating, scheduling, and site safety will also remain important. Students should develop critical thinking, creativity, communication, and teamwork, while learning how AI uses data, where it can make mistakes, and how to verify that its recommendations meet engineering standards and protect public safety.

Biggest misconceptions about AI and civil engineering

Question:

What's the biggest misconception students have about AI and your discipline?

Answer:

A common misconception is that AI can independently design a building or bridge. AI can support engineers, but its results depend on the quality of the data and assumptions used.

A qualified engineer must still evaluate the results and take responsibility for the final decisions.

Advice for students worried about AI

Question:

If a high school student told you they were interested in your discipline, but worried AI would make the degree less valuable, what would you tell them?

Answer:

I would tell them that civil engineering will become more exciting, not less valuable. AI is a powerful tool, but we still need people who understand how the physical world works and can use that tool responsibly.

Students who combine civil engineering knowledge with AI skills will have many opportunities to improve the communities of the future.

Final Takeaway

The world is changing because of AI. There's no doubt about that. But when it comes to civil engineering, the future looks more like evolution than disruption.

AI will likely take on more calculations, data analysis, and repetitive tasks in the years ahead. Yet, the responsibilities that define civil engineering, protecting public safety, making informed decisions, and designing infrastructure that serves communities, remain fundamentally human.

The future is promising for engineers who pair strong technical expertise with the ability to use AI thoughtfully and responsibly. For students considering a career in civil engineering, that's good news. The field isn't becoming obsolete. It's becoming more powerful, more efficient, and full of new opportunities for those ready to embrace change.