The future of field operations: AI, automation, and beyond 

Sometimes change comes so slowly that it’s easy to take for granted the huge shift to our worksites each generation of new technology brings along with it.  

From the beginning we were focused on using software to meet the operational management needs of our clients across civil infrastructure – in construction, highways, utilities, and so on. We were digitising management itself – addressing common issues we had heard from our clients… 

But what about the future? What comes next?   

 An interesting perspective on the future of tech and employment  

Obviously, new technology brings with it concerns about job displacement.  

But in industries like ours, where there are constant concerns about recruitment shortages, new technology can often bring two significant benefits.  

First, embracing new technology can inspire new recruits to want to join one company over another. Second, it can help fill in gaps and cover roles that are difficult to fill.  

For example, Re-flow acts as an extra admin, one plugged into all the data and comings and goings of your operations.  

Built Robotics – creating opportunities, not taking jobs  

One of the biggest barriers for new technology is how workers perceive it. In industries like construction, where hands-on skills have been the backbone of operations for generations, software and new technology can be met with scepticism. The same may well be the case for soon-to-come autonomous vehicles, which will of course, be controlled by AI.  

In the USA Built Robotics transform heavy equipment like excavators into autonomous robots complete with an AI guidance system. But rather than pushing workers out of the equation, Built Robotics has partnered with the International Union of Operating Engineers to train professionals in managing and maintaining robotic equipment. 

Again, with an ageing workforce and a growing skills gap, this kind of innovation isn’t just about efficiency – it’s about, taking responsibility, and making sure our projects are viable into the future by attracting the next generation of talent.  

Thought and effort will need to be put into training up the workforce like this. And this kind of positive example is likely to define the next round of success stories in the industry. By giving workers the skills to oversee and manage autonomous machinery, the industry isn’t replacing its workforce – it’s evolving it. 

Cambridge University using AI to predict and identify road damage 

 More people would have heard about this story. Researchers at Cambridge University are working on AI-driven road scanning systems that can predict where potholes will form before they appear.  

In collaboration with the Greater Cambridge Partnership, they will use a special vehicle to scan the roads of central Cambridge. The university group have developed an AI that can distinguish between different types of damage on the road – our highways and surfacing clients will be familiar with terms like rutting, spalling, bleeding, and shoving – which describe a variety of issues.  

By creating a ‘digital twin’ of the road network, AI can map defects as they develop, helping councils shift from inefficient, piecemeal repairs to proactive maintenance. 

Self-healing materials – such as bitumen infused with tiny capsules of repair agents—are also being tested to prevent cracks from turning into potholes. Combined with AI insights, these innovations could transform how we manage infrastructure, saving time, money, and even lives. 

Automating road repair 

And to close this circle of topics and to return to automation, Robotiz3d, a ‘spin-out’ from the University of Liverpool, is taking things a step further than our Cambridge pothole-fixing example with a self-driving robot designed to spot, assess, and repair road damage autonomously. Using laser scanning and AI, it creates 3D profiles of cracks and potholes, assigning severity levels and prioritising repairs. A prototype recently tested in Hertfordshire can even carry its own repair materials, sealing cracks before they evolve into full-blown potholes. 

These innovations create a dramatic view of a future not so far away: fleets of road-repairing robots patrolling our streets, detecting and fixing cracks before they become hazards. (Given that 75% of cracks turn into potholes within two to three years, this kind of proactive maintenance could be the key to finally tackling the UK’s road crisis). These robots will be passing by worksites completing jobs with the help of automated excavators. Of course, we expect the companies involved will be using field management software too.  

We’ll be releasing more insights like this in our upcoming AI and Technology Report 2025.