AI adoption throughout development and industrial property has accelerated considerably over the previous yr, however companies are struggling to show pilot research into routine observe, based on new analysis from the Royal Establishment of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). The RICS AI in Business Property and Development Report 2026, primarily based on greater than 3,100 responses from trade professionals worldwide, discovered that about two-thirds of development professionals are utilizing AI in some type, up from simply over half in 2025. In industrial property, greater than three-quarters report some stage of AI use.
Each sectors have the identical proportion of organisations working early-stage AI pilots, at 39 p.c, however industrial property is proving extra profitable at changing these into common use. Common AI use stands at 29 p.c in industrial property in contrast with 19 p.c in development. Funding intentions counsel adoption will proceed. 47 p.c of business property respondents plan to extend AI funding over the subsequent 12 months, in contrast with 37 p.c in development.
RICS says the findings present the trade’s problem has shifted from getting organisations to experiment with AI to efficiently embedding it into skilled observe. Development has nonetheless seen substantial progress. The proportion of organisations reporting no AI use has fallen by greater than a 3rd since 2025, whereas common use has risen from 12 p.c to 19 p.c.
However boundaries stay. A scarcity of expert personnel continues to be a serious difficulty, while privateness and safety issues in development elevated from 22 p.c to 30 p.c over the previous yr. RICS is looking on organisations to contemplate from the outset how profitable AI pilots will change into routine observe, together with the information, integration, skilled supervision and governance they require.
In line with RICS, the report additionally highlights the significance of the trade physique’s skilled commonplace, Accountable use of synthetic intelligence in surveying observe, which got here into impact in March 2026. Higher consciousness and adoption of the usual will probably be more and more vital as AI turns into embedded in skilled work.
Maureen Ehrenberg FRICS CRE, President Elect of RICS, stated: “A yr in the past, this report described an trade approaching an inflection level. The situations for AI to take maintain have been in place, however adoption itself was nonetheless restricted. This yr’s information reveals that time has been crossed. This shift issues, as does the accountability that comes with it. RICS’ skilled commonplace Accountable Use of Synthetic Intelligence in Surveying Observe, which got here into impact in March 2026, gives members with a well-defined framework for appearing with confidence. That is the second for the occupation to steer, not comply with.”
