On 4 August, our Technology and Engineering Innovation Forum hosted a webinar titled “Engineering the Future: AI, Technology Innovation and Smarter Infrastructure Delivery.” The session explored how emerging technologies are transforming engineering practice while reinforcing the continued importance of professional expertise and judgement. 

Facilitated by Amanda Masondo-Mkhize of MPAMOT Africa, the webinar featured presentations from Prinell Naicker of Knight Piesold and Keith Simon of KCS Consultants. 

Prinell Naicker demonstrated how AI is already being used to streamline design, documentation and collaboration through tools embedded within engineering workflows. She highlighted that AI can support engineers by automating repetitive tasks, improving collaboration and creating more time for professional judgement, problem-solving and technical work. She also emphasised the importance of responsible AI use, with engineering ethics, accountability and professional judgement remaining central to decision-making. 

Keith Simon shared practical examples of how KCS Consultants is using AI to develop engineering software and automate complex data-processing tasks. Drawing on examples from large-scale municipal water network modelling, he demonstrated how these technologies can improve efficiency and accelerate infrastructure planning, while emphasising the importance of engineers understanding the underlying problems, validating outputs and applying sound engineering principles. 

The webinar reinforced our view that AI can be a powerful enabler of smarter and more efficient infrastructure delivery, while the knowledge, experience and professional judgement of engineers remain essential to developing safe, resilient and sustainable infrastructure. 

We thank our facilitator, speakers and everyone who joined us for an insightful discussion on the future of engineering.