Pillai, S (2022) Regulation of artificial intelligence technologies in the Indian construction industry. PhD thesis, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong.
Abstract
The uptake of Artificial Intelligence (AI) innovations in the construction industry implies new physical and socio-political risks and regulatory challenges. The regulatory analysis is challenging due to the inherent complexity and a lack of applied knowledge specific to AI use for construction activities. This research extends the Normal Accident Theory (NAT) and HighReliability Organisation (HRO) theory to the AI-fied construction space. I posit that AI-fied construction2 can move towards a culture of HRO by regulating precautionarily. First, to identify the research frontier, I analysed 974 journal articles via a mixed-method approach using keyword co-occurrences followed by activity mapping. I identified the expert technology expectation using a risk workshop with 9 experts from academia, industry, and law. I interviewed 51 construction personnel to obtain the laymen technology expectation. I then identified the potential risks associated with these applications by forming a risk map based on an analysis of 94 articles discussing the ethical aspects of AI. Risks are identified by expert elicitation and interview with 51 construction personnel and 18 personnel from a manufacturing firm. The risks are used to define the regulatory space. The keyword co-occurrence network and activity mapping indicate the innovation trend towards back-end construction activities. Expert elicitation indicates the development of technologies that bridges the gap between back-end and on-site construction activities. Construction personnel expect a radical change in the construction processes in a short time frame. The risks due to AI systems are beyond physical and includes retrenchment/ layoff, privacy risks and liability risks. The regulatory space is spanned by the exploitation of highlyqualified and skilled employees, AI system developers are outside the liability spectrum causing irresponsible innovation, privacy of the client is at risk etc. The country-level laws, ISO standards and contractual guidelines are inadequate for an ‘AI-fied’ construction sector.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor: | Matus, K |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | artificial intelligence; client; complexity; construction activities; culture; innovation; interview; liability; manufacturing; personnel; privacy; regulation; standards |
| Index terms: | construction activity, exploitation, retrenchment, workshop, construction industry, artificial intelligence, academia, construction personnel, journal, personnel, interview, ISO, liability, construction sector, complexity, construction process, mapping, privacy, regulation |
| Subjects: | artificial intelligence, standards development, data collection methods, workforce, industry analysis, systems engineering, political science, educational institutions, management, construction operations, economic analysis, research dissemination and communication, construction type, professional ethics, liability law, building construction, spatial and geospatial analysis |
| Topics: | Engineering Principles, Education, Quality Management, Legal Issues, Governance, Construction Technology, Research Practice, Business Strategy, Site Management, Human Resources, Digital Applications |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTE |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here