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Artificial intelligence is evolving into "physical AI" that hauls materials and performs hazardous tasks, and it is steadily preparing for deployment at construction sites. Construction firms—grappling with labor shortages, an aging workforce, and the need to prevent safety accidents—are accelerating the race to automate sites using AI and robots.
On the 8th, GS Engineering & Construction announced that it recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with robotics specialist Daedong Robotics for "research and development cooperation on construction site automation using AI field robots."
The two companies plan to deploy Daedong Robotics' AI autonomous driving robots at actual construction sites, verifying their performance and safety through demonstrations, and, over the long term, jointly developing robot models optimized for the construction environment. They will first examine the potential for using robots in tasks with high labor dependency, such as material transport and repetitive work.
Construction sites are atypical environments where workspaces change frequently and materials, equipment, and personnel move in complex ways, requiring a different level of autonomous driving technology and safety than ordinary factories. The two companies plan to refine robot functions and operating conditions tailored to construction sites based on data accumulated during the on-site demonstration process.
GS E&C said, "Digital transformation and automation of the construction industry are key tasks for improving on-site safety and productivity," adding, "Through AI autonomous driving robot demonstrations, we will verify the feasibility of actual deployment and secure technology optimized for the construction environment."
GS E&C's cooperation aligns with the recent trend of physical AI adoption spreading across the construction industry. Physical AI at construction sites refers to technology in which AI recognizes the actual physical environment and, based on that data, moves, transports, and performs tasks on site. Indeed, major construction firms are actively pursuing demonstrations using drones, robots, and AI-powered CCTV to reduce hazardous work and boost productivity.
Hyundai Engineering & Construction is applying material transport robots, drilling robots, and curtain wall installation robots at its sites. In particular, the curtain wall installation robot is used to automate the installation of glass panels on the exterior walls of high-rise buildings, enhancing worker safety. Its AI CCTV, trained on more than 2 million on-site data records, detects in real time the failure to wear hard hats, the outbreak of fire or smoke, and unauthorized entry into hazardous zones.
Samsung C&T is also active in developing construction robots. It has developed an automated robot that performs bolt-fastening on steel structures to reduce the risks of high-altitude work, and at the Banpo District 3 redevelopment site it unveiled autonomous forklifts, material transport robots, cleaning robots, water-spraying drones, and wearable robots.
POSCO E&C has deployed AI drones that simultaneously recognize video and audio for site patrols, detecting hazards in blind spots, while HDC Hyundai Development Company is strengthening communication with foreign workers and on-site safety management using AI translation systems and digital twin technology.
The industry expects that, before long, AI technology will reach a stage where it transforms the very way construction sites are operated. This involves linking data collected by robots, drones, and closed-circuit television (CCTV) with process, safety, and quality management systems, integrating them into a single platform. An industry official noted, "Going forward, a construction firm's competitiveness will depend on how much site data it accumulates and how well it can connect that data to robots to enhance productivity and safety."
