Autodesk CEO: AI can help US fix its crumbling infrastructure before it’s too late

The dramatic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore earlier this year was a stark reminder that some of the most critical pieces of U.S. infrastructure are also the most vulnerable. It took months for the Maryland government to fully reopen the port. Repairing the bridge itself will take years.

Recently, flooding in the Queens-Midtown Tunnel — caused by human error by a crew working nearby — temporarily closed one of the busiest thoroughfares in a city where nearly a million people commute every day.

Doing nothing would be costly, both financially and in terms of public safety. But the truth is that the United States simply does not have enough manpower, resources or materials to prepare its infrastructure for an uncertain future affected by climate change.

Business leaders are praising AI for potentially transforming the digital world. But they are only now beginning to understand the enormous impact it can have on the physical world. AI can help us design, build, and rebuild America’s many roads, bridges, factories, homes, and cities for a rapidly changing future.

Take sustainability. The construction industry is one of the most wasteful sectors in the world, responsible for almost 40% of global carbon emissions.

Nevertheless, it is based on huge amounts of data that can contribute to sustainability. Typically, 95% of data collected in construction remains unused. This includes everything from material usage and procurement information to energy consumption metrics, transportation logistics and even waste production during the construction process.

AI can analyze this data and improve decision-making on material usage and energy consumption, thereby reducing project waste.

An example from our own work is our partnership with MBH Architects and FactoryOS on Project Phoenix, an affordable housing development in West Oakland, California. We’ve reduced the time, cost and carbon footprint by nearly half compared to traditional residential construction in the San Francisco Bay Area, thanks to AI-optimized construction waste reduction.

The projects also involve several models from architects, engineers, urban planners, manufacturers, designers and construction workers. AI can make communication easier in these often large and complicated undertakings.

Connected data helped streamline the transformation of San Diego International Airport’s Terminal 1 by allowing everyone involved in the complex construction project to submit and access data on a common platform.

AI can also reduce the time it takes to design large projects from months to just a few minutes. By strategically embedding this new technology into the design process, project teams can receive information more quickly without sacrificing quality. This means everyone can do more in less time and teams can focus on more innovative and productive activities.

Ultimately, AI can help prevent something like the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse from happening again. It can identify potential problems and help designers create more efficient and long-lasting structures.

However, there is still a major hurdle in integrating AI into infrastructure planning and construction: the slow adoption of digital technologies by public infrastructure owners.

The US and other governments must accelerate digital transformation in this sector. Therefore, it is crucial that policymakers find the right balance between mitigating the risks of AI while promoting its development. The new US presidential administration and incoming Congress have an opportunity to modernize infrastructure development and create a new regulatory framework for AI, infrastructure and security that does not stifle innovation.

More sophisticated design requires innovative technology to support it. In the short term, AI will enable companies and governments to make better decisions earlier in the process. And beyond that, AI can help human designers express their ingenuity and create a better future — and perhaps help the U.S. address its infrastructure crisis before it’s too late.

Fortune’s Brainstorm Design conference will take place on December 5th at MGM Cotai in Macau. Panelists and participants will debate and discuss “experiential experiments,” designs that blur the line between the physical and digital worlds to engage users and foster lasting connections. Register here!