75% of architecture and engineering firms use AI, 29% trust their data

Unanet's AEC Inspire 2026 report, conducted among 300 U.S. executives, measures a 20-point increase in adoption in one year — and the lag that comes with it.

Published on June 2, 2026 from the responses of about 300 American leaders in the architecture-engineering-construction sector, Unanet's AEC Inspire report shows a sharp increase: 75% of agencies report using artificial intelligence, some 20 points more than a year earlier.

The figure accompanying this adoption is more embarrassing: only 29% of the structures say they are very confident in the quality of the data that feeds their AI tools. The shift is not annoyance in a trade where an estimate of quantities or a compliance check is based entirely on the accuracy of the input data — a failing basis produces false results with the appearance of rigour. Agencies that successfully deploy are, without surprise, those that have formalized data governance.

Moreover, the uses remain cautious: they focus on commercial development and marketing, with an opening displayed for the support functions — drafting proposals, forecasts, reporting, project monitoring. Finally, despite the ambient discourse on the replacement of jobs by AI, the recruitment and retention of talent remains the sector's primary concern in the face of economic conditions and competitive pressure.