Project-based built environment businesses in the UK are moving beyond ‘experimenting’ with artificial intelligence (AI) to embedding it throughout the project lifecycle, according to new research published by Deltek.
The research, which was conducted across UK-based architecture, engineering and consultancy firms as part of Deltek’s seventh annual Clarity Trends and Insights for Architecture, Engineering and Consulting Firms report, found that 55% of UK organisations describe themselves as either ‘advanced’ or ‘mature’ in their digital transformation journeys.
The proportion identifying as ‘advanced’ fell from 20% in 2025 to 15% in 2026, highlighting a shift in how organisations are approaching digital transformation, rather than a slowdown in progress.
The research also found that 29% of organisations identify operationalising and optimising AI as a strategic priority, with nearly half of UK organisations reporting moderate productivity or cost improvements from AI, with a growing group (12%) already seeing significant measurable return on investment as adoption scales across the business.
Neil Davidson, group vice president, professional services sector at Deltek, said: “Architecture, engineering, and consulting firms are at a genuine inflection point. After years of steady growth and significant investment in digital foundations, the industry is now asking a harder question: how do we convert that investment into measurable productivity gains? The firms that answer it decisively, embedding the right technology into the heart of how they run projects and serve clients, will set the benchmark for the next decade.
“Firms have spent the last few years building the digital foundations needed to modernise how they run projects. What we’re seeing now is a shift from experimentation to real results as AI becomes embedded into core business workflows. Many organisations are already seeing measurable ROI from AI investments, driving clear improvements in efficiency, insight, and overall business performance. As adoption becomes more consistent across organisations, that value is set to scale even further.
“For project-based businesses, the opportunity now is to turn that momentum into stronger project insight, better decision-making, and improved financial performance.”
