OpEd: Illinois Engineering Leadership Depends on Industry Embracing AI — Illinois is at a turning point.
With once-in-a-generation infrastructure funding available through the Rebuild Illinois capital plan, the state has a rare opportunity to re-envision how it builds and maintains the infrastructure that connects its communities.
And with this opportunity, it’s imperative for Illinois to embrace the next leap forward: artificial intelligence (AI).
As a leading engineering firm with a record of supporting critical transportation and construction projects across the state for clients like the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), Illinois Tollway, and Illinois State University, it’s become increasingly clear that AI will be a foundational part of the future for the engineering industry.
AI has the potential to streamline field operations, enhance safety through predictive monitoring, increase efficiency in planning and delivery, and make large-scale infrastructure projects more sustainable. What’s more, it can help public dollars stretch further, ensuring the impact of historic investments like Rebuild Illinois are measurable and enduring.
We’re already seeing this take shape. Firms in Illinois and across the country are piloting AI to support infrastructure assessment, significantly reducing the time and cost associated with inspections while substantially improving insights. For example, IDOT recently partnered with the University of Illinois to test drone-based, AI-enhanced inspections for Illinois bridges and overpasses, resulting in faster inspections, improved documentation, and better safety outcomes.
These early but impactful applications highlight what’s possible when we lean into emerging tech.
AI isn’t just a tool for efficiency in engineering; it will play a decisive role in developing the workforce of the future. From intuitive learning platforms to real-time field simulations, AI can unlock new ways of teaching, learning, and building. What’s more, AI can help make engineering and infrastructure more inclusive by democratizing access to technical expertise, reducing bias in infrastructure planning, and expanding career pathways—particularly if we ensure that a diverse set of inputs, data, and perspectives shape its design.
This learning and development application will be essential in the coming decade as Illinois faces a projected shortage of more than 6,000 civil engineers by 2030, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and state-level estimates from Projections Central. By helping the state’s top engineers automate routine tasks and accelerate design cycles, AI will free them up to focus on more strategic, higher-impact challenges while developing the next generation of Illinois engineers.
AI is no longer the technology of tomorrow. It’s the technology of today. To fully capitalize on its potential, the industry needs legislative champions in both Washington and Springfield who are committed to advancing smart policy and creating an environment where innovation can thrive. That means encouraging public-private partnerships, funding research and development, and providing clear regulatory paths for AI-powered tools.
Equally important, lawmakers must avoid overly restrictive policies that prevent Illinois from competing with other tech-forward regions while remaining mindful about the complexities that come with integrating new technology into an established industry. Data privacy, cybersecurity, and ethical AI development aren’t just side issues; they are central to building public trust. Thoughtful, strategic policy must balance those concerns without halting progress and innovation.
Illinois has always been a hub of big ideas and big infrastructure. With a legislative vision that supports investments in the technology ecosystem, Illinois can lead the nation not just in what is built, but how it is built—equitably, with integrity and an innovation mindset.
Michael Bempah is the Founder and President of Pinpoint Precision Engineering, an engineering firm based in Chicago.
OpEd: Illinois Engineering Leadership Depends on Industry Embracing AI
