Hello Reader!

What happens when a 155-year-old engineering consultancy embraces AI? Sharon Richardson, Director and AI Lead at Hoare Lea (UK), is showing us.

We're back with season 5! And in this week’s episode of Chatting GPT, Sharon joins us to talk about how AI is transforming the built environment - from designing more sustainable buildings, to solving skills shortages in construction, to reimagining the cities we’ll live in by 2035.

What you’ll hear:

• How AI can compress weeks of engineering modelling into minutes - freeing up time for more creativity.
• Why sustainability and AI aren’t at odds (and how new models are dramatically reducing energy use).
• The role of automation in tackling construction’s skills gap.
• Why Sharon calls AI a “time machine” for engineers.
• What “peak urbanisation” could mean for future cities - and how nature must be part of the design.

Sharon brings a rare blend of realism and optimism, and her perspective from inside a long-established firm shows just how fast the industry is moving.

🎧 Listen to the episode now →​

And you can always catch it on Spotify. Or Apple Podcasts. ​

If you haven’t subscribed yet, now’s the time. A new episode drops every second Sunday - always featuring leaders who are implementing AI in real-world, practical ways.

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• AI Core Skills - starts 11 September
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See you next time!

The AI Institute Team