The QS who uses AI vs the one who doesn't

3 Jun 2026 · 0 min

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0:23

In this brief segment from William Doyle MRICS's YouTube video, two speakers discuss how AI can transform the daily workflow of knowledge workers, particularly quantity surveyors in construction. They note that a large portion—potentially up to 50%—of a QS's time is spent on low‑value activities such as searching for context, requesting feedback, and locating past documentation. By automating these routine tasks, AI frees up time for higher‑value, "intelligent" work: strategic decision‑making, risk mitigation, more effective supplier pricing, and broader supplier engagement. The speakers also highlight a less‑explored angle: AI not only reduces existing work but can create new opportunities for value‑adding activities within the construction sector.

if we think about any of, you know, our workers, knowledge workers, you know, people sitting behind a desk the majority of the time. Yeah, a lot of it is looking for context, asking for feedback, and searching for documentation or evidence of something that's happened in the past. I think the real opportunity is if AI can do a lot of that stuff that we potentially spend 50% of our time
on,
what could we now do with all of that time? We could spend a lot more of our time on intelligent work, right? Decision-making, reducing risk on our projects, better pricing with suppliers, or going out to more suppliers. Because I think when we think about AI, we always think about what work does it reduce. But I think a really exciting thing that we're, that we're starting to think about is what type of work does it actually increase, which I think is a really, a really interesting application, especially in the context of construction.