Balfour Beatty invests nearly $10M in Microsoft AI

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Dive Transient:

• Persevering with on its push to add artificial intelligence all through its enterprise, London-based builder Balfour Beatty has invested 7.2 million kilos ($9.6 million) into tech big Microsoft’s AI providing, Microsoft 365 Copilot, in line with a July 31 information launch.
• Microsoft’s AI-powered assistant embedded inside Microsoft 365 functions will function securely inside Balfour Beatty’s compliant and confidential IT surroundings, which is distinct from publicly accessible instruments, in line with the information launch.
• Alongside the funding, the corporate plans to develop AI brokers to enhance its high quality, well being and security and assurance processes, with the primary trial at an infrastructure mission in Scotland, in line with the information launch. Balfour Beatty introduced the AI development push in March 2024, throughout its full-year earnings name.

Dive Perception:

Balfour Beatty is working a pilot of the tech on the 185 million pound A9 project in Scotland, a highway enchancment job the place the agency is upgrading a single-lane freeway to 2 lanes, establishing 4 new bridges and delivering new aspect roads along with varied junction upgrades. 

The AI agent, which focuses on inspection and take a look at plans, identifies widespread points that embrace incorrect or outdated templates reaching technical specialists. In consequence, the agent enhances the consistency, effectivity and high quality of ITPs, in line with Balfour Beatty.

By automating the guide assessment course of, which historically takes a number of hours and is repeated hundreds of occasions throughout the corporate, the instrument accelerates supply and permits engineers to concentrate on high-value duties equivalent to design assurance and technical problem-solving, which finally boosts productiveness, per the information launch.

“This funding isn’t nearly embracing know-how,” mentioned Jon Ozanne, Balfour Beatty’s chief info officer, within the information launch. “It’s about guaranteeing our enterprise stays on the forefront of competitiveness and cyber safety.”