On most construction sites, the rhythm of progress is measured by the clang of steel, the hum of machinery and the sweat of thousands. But increasingly, new sounds are entering the mix: the quiet efficiency of algorithms, the hum of drones overhead, and the precision of robotic arms at work. Behind the concrete and cables, an invisible force is taking hold: data. It is turning blueprints into living simulations, managing fleets of machines, and helping engineers make decisions before a single brick is laid. This is not the construction of tomorrow; it is the architecture of today – built on code as much as concrete.

To unpack the rise of automation and its growing influence on India’s construction sector, FIRST Construction Council, in association with CONSTRUCTION WORLD, Equipment India and Infrastructure Today magazines, hosted a webinar titled ‘Reimagining Construction with Automation’ – bringing together a panel of industry and academic leaders...