Komatsu adding artificial intelligence to construction advisory service- Nikkei Asian Review

Komatsu is adopting artificial intelligence technologies for a service that can help construction supervisors and workers do their jobs more efficiently and rapidly. The Japanese maker of construction machinery plans to add the AI-based service to the menu of its Smart Construction service sometime later this year. Launched in February 2015, the advisory service uses drones and other equipment to conduct surveys and generate 3D data for uploading to construction machinery for semi-automatic operation. With the incorporation of AI technologies, Komatsu will be able to offer a wider range of services that bring a degree of automation, not just to machinery but also to the scheme of execution. The Japanese construction sector faces an aging and diminishing pool of skilled workers, and Komatsu sees AI as a way to replicate their knowledge and improve productivity at the building site.