As 2025 draws to an end and thoughts turn to the year ahead, in this series of articles we’ve sourced the viewpoint of various leading industry figures. This time we’ve focused particularly on new technology, having sought the input of individuals from the likes of Sypro, NBS, Autodesk, Komatsu Smart Construction, and PlanRadar to gather their opinions on how the last 12 months have been for construction from a technological perspective and to get their bleeding edge predictions for 2026.
Becky Pemberton, Business Development Manager at Sypro:
“While true, fully autonomous construction machines are yet to be created, the sector is seeing progress thanks to technology suppliers tackling challenges and barriers. Digital twins are central to furthering this transformation, providing a continuously updated ‘hive mind’ that combines a detailed visual representation of the job site with data from machines. This is what is needed to enable equipment to work smarter.
“The mining industry is demonstrating what’s possible. Underground operations have shown that autonomy works best when machines aren’t acting in isolation but as part of a connected, site-wide ecosystem. Their secret is a singular digital brain that builds a complete digital twin of the mine, merging terrain and equipment.
“In construction, however, decisions are unfortunately still made reactively rather than proactively, as autonomous data is often trapped within the machine’s controller or a brand’s telematic platform. To shift operations, this data must be aggregated into a central digital brain, independent of machine make, model, or level of autonomy.
“As we look ahead into 2026, the next step is achieving industry-wide adoption of a common digital twin model. This is a small step towards the next leap; the industry needs to become accustomed to using a digital twin for analysis before contractors can trust it as a single source of truth for autonomous equipment. This cultural change can pivot most operations to become more proactive, building the necessary foundation of data collection that will lead to optimal autonomous equipment usage.”
Dr Stephen Hamil, Innovation Director at NBS:
“2025 marked a turning point for digital adoption in construction. The long-held narrative that construction lags behind other sectors in digital adoption can now be challenged by evidence of tangible progress. AI adoption has surged across the industry – but the technology isn’t replacing construction professionals. Rather, AI is functioning as a diligent assistant. Professionals are now leveraging it daily for initial research support and administrative tasks, allowing them to dedicate more time to strategic counsel and creative problem-solving.
“Equally significant is the industry’s evolving understanding of BIM. It wasn’t that long ago that most professionals viewed BIM as simply 3D models with data. But now, BIM has become highly valued as a collaborative project information management process that ensures data consistency, as defined by BS EN ISO 19650 standards.
The increased use of cloud computing and AI in 2025, alongside the maturing view of BIM, positions the industry well for continued digital transformation in 2026. The focus has shifted from whether to adopt new technologies to how quickly organisations can embrace them, with many professionals concerned they might get left behind competitors.
“Those who treat digital tools as strategic assets will gain competitive advantages in collaboration, efficiency, and client satisfaction throughout 2026 and beyond.”
Kristina Poluyanova, Account Executive UK&I, Construction, Autodesk:
“Technology isn’t just a “nice-to-have” anymore, it is becoming the only realistic way to meet new legal duties for traceability, documentation, accountability and compliance.
“2026 comes with new reforms: new fire safety standards, updated Approved Document B, Building Safety Levy, strengthened oversight, meaning safety is now a data problem. Previously known disconnected process and workflows can no longer co-exist with increasing regulations, with evidence, traceability & auditability becoming mandatory on projects.
“Every part of the supply chain now shares legal accountability and needs digital systems to prove compliance. While technology can not solve all the problems, its role in becoming a practical guide to meet industry needs keeps growing.
“There is a huge opportunity for tech to help improve processes on construction projects, increasing visibility and making data ownership clear, because accountability now depends on your data. In doing so, this instils a culture of safety and recognises change management as continuous improvement across the industry.”
Ian de Dobbelaere, Commercial Project Manager at Komatsu Smart Construction:
“Looking back at 2025, the trend that has dominated construction machinery is the rise of autonomy. Walking through the major industry fairs over the last year, most major manufacturers are progressing and developing autonomous equipment.
“While true, fully autonomous construction machines are yet to be created, the sector is seeing progress thanks to technology suppliers tackling challenges and barriers. Digital twins are central to furthering this transformation, providing a continuously updated ‘hive mind’ that combines a detailed visual representation of the job site with data from machines. This is what is needed to enable equipment to work smarter.
“The mining industry is demonstrating what’s possible. Underground operations have shown that autonomy works best when machines aren’t acting in isolation but as part of a connected, site-wide ecosystem. Their secret is a singular digital brain that builds a complete digital twin of the mine, merging terrain and equipment.
“In construction, however, decisions are unfortunately still made reactively rather than proactively, as autonomous data is often trapped within the machine’s controller or a brand’s telematic platform. To shift operations, this data must be aggregated into a central digital brain, independent of machine make, model, or level of autonomy.
“As we look ahead into 2026, the next step is achieving industry-wide adoption of a common digital twin model. This is a small step towards the next leap; the industry needs to become accustomed to using a digital twin for analysis before contractors can trust it as a single source of truth for autonomous equipment. This cultural change can pivot most operations to become more proactive, building the necessary foundation of data collection that will lead to optimal autonomous equipment usage.”
Rob Norton, Construction Tech Leader at PlanRadar:
“2025 has been a challenging year for the UK construction industry, especially with the Building Safety Regulator affecting the number of new high-rise developments. Our research in early October reveals that 77% of companies still report inconsistent quality processes, a stubborn issue that widespread, but often fragmented, technology adoption has yet to fully resolve, largely due to the obstacle of unstructured data.
“We have already seen AI transforming the sector, but its full potential is locked behind poor data structure. Looking ahead to the next 5-10 years, AI-driven work scheduling and quality control will dramatically alter processes. Therefore, the ability to capture and structure data effectively will separate industry leaders who do and those who don’t.
“However, the industry has shown resilience through adaptation to evolving regulatory standards. Companies that help clients adopt sustainable building practices into their daily processes are making small, digitally-enabled changes that deliver long-term wins.
“For 2026, I predict we’ll see significant technology integration across the board. This includes demolition contractors adopting advanced software solutions to leverage material data, aligning with rising social and environmental standards. As we take on more complex high-rise projects, the integration of modern technologies and software platforms will become essential for delivering the housing we need, on time and to specification.
“We need to ensure compliance and quality are consistently monitored, documented and optimised through integrated data platforms to better position ourselves for the year ahead.”