Construction robotics finds interest, but adoption wavers, reports BuiltWorlds

ABB is working with Automated Architecture, or AUAR, on construction robotics.

ABB is working with Automated Architecture on construction robotics, an area of growing interest. Source: ABB

Like many sectors beyond manufacturing, the construction industry has been cautious about automation. Construction firms are getting better at identifying innovative technologies that could help them, but adoption of construction robotics is still slow, according to a new report from BuiltWorlds Inc.

“Contractors, owners, and tech providers alike are exploring how robotics for tasks like layout, drilling and/or material transport, when combined with connected equipment and data-driven decision-making, can create a more efficient, responsive, and scalable construction environment,” wrote Audrey Lynch, senior research analyst at BuiltWorlds and the report’s author. “This shift reflects a broader industry movement toward intelligent, tech-enabled workflows that bridge field execution with digital planning and performance optimization.

Chicago-based BuiltWorlds provides research insights, advisory services, networking, and conferences for business and technology leaders in the building and infrastructure sectors. The organization has a network of more than 250 companies from over 25 countries, and it offers a digital platform and educational programming to help clients to navigate a dynamic and evolving industry landscape.

Interest in construction robotics increases

In its “2025 Equipment & Robotics Benchmarking Report,” BuiltWorlds found that sentiment toward construction robotics has improved. The report collected data from a wide range of contractors in the field, featuring a mix of general, specialty trade and subcontractors, ranging in revenue from $2 million to over $5 billion.

The organization said the responses of this group represent a baseline for the industry’s attitudes towards equipment and robotics innovation at the company level. Year over year, those attitudes have improved, it said.

“Notably, negative attitudes towards internal, enterprise-wide robotics strategies have dropped considerably year over year, with ‘fair’ evaluations falling 14 percentage points, and not a single ‘poor’ evaluation appearing in this year’s survey—a stark difference from last year’s 7.4%,” said BuiltWorlds. “Meanwhile, positive attitudes are reportedly increasing. Evaluations considered ‘good’ or better rose from 74% in 2024 to just over 95% this year, including a near 10 percentage point jump in ‘excellent’ evaluations.”

Corporate interest in construction robotics has increased, reported BuiltWorlds.

Corporate interest in construction robotics has increased. Source: BuiltWorlds.

Construction robotics implementation dips

Despite the uptick in positive sentiment, when looking at levels of actual deployment of construction robotics, the year-over-year numbers showed slight regression, BuiltWorlds acknowledged.

Where 65% of respondents in 2024 reported employing at least some form of robotics or automated machinery, only 46% said the same in this year’s report. At a glance, this seems to reflect falling interest in robotics, but it may be a matter of growing discernment.

“A large section of last year’s reported robotics use came in the form of pilots,” said Lynch. “This year, we’ve seen a much smaller share of pilots but more repeated use on projects, suggesting more selective though serious implementation, albeit on smaller scales.”

“The takeaway is that while widespread robotic adoption remains in its early stages, a growing commitment among a small share of contractors does signal the technology is slowly but surely transitioning from ‘future tech’ to a truly modern-day jobsite solution,” said BuiltWorlds.