What does the future of infrastructure look like, and who will build it?
Join BAI Group and bAI Labs on Thursday, April 23, from 3:00 to 6:00 PM at Anne Arundel Community College for an interactive Civil AI Mixer. Register here
We’ll explore how artificial intelligence (AI) is beginning to shape the next generation of civil, environmental, and construction engineering. This is not about replacing engineers. It is about giving the next generation better tools, better data, and more ways to solve real-world problems.
Across the Mid-Atlantic, there is a growing need for field professionals in inspection, construction QA/QC, surveying, permitting support, and municipal operations. At the same time, applied AI tools are becoming part of everyday engineering workflows.
As John O. Smith, P.E., BCEE, leading BAI Group in Maryland, explains, “Civil AI builds on the fundamentals, field experience, inspection, and compliance, while introducing tools that help engineers work more efficiently and make better decisions.”
You’ll hear from leading engineers, researchers, and practitioners working at the intersection of infrastructure and emerging technology. A key part of the discussion will explore how sharing data across agencies and organizations can help the region build smarter systems and support the long-term health of the Chesapeake Bay.
This event is especially focused on students and early-career professionals. Future civil engineering technology certificate programs and two-year degrees need to include apprenticeships at their core. This generation is already AI savvy. With a solid foundation in civil and environmental engineering, students can learn applied AI alongside fieldwork, gaining real-world experience while supporting municipalities and infrastructure projects.
At Anne Arundel Community College, this opportunity is already taking shape. “We see this as a chance to connect students directly to the future of infrastructure,” AACC’s Robert Lowe, Chair of the Architecture and Interior Design Department and Professor of Landscape Architecture, says, “combining hands-on training with emerging tools in a way that serves both students and the region.”
Students will not only learn these tools but can help guide their responsible use in practice. As Davar Ardalan, Director of AI Integration at bAI Labs, shares, “This is a new era for infrastructure. Students who go through new educational programs can help municipalities learn how to use data and applied AI tools responsibly, always grounded in science and real-world conditions.”
Civil AI education means learning to verify and validate AI outputs against field data, engineering standards, and regulatory requirements, with engineers, scientists, and researchers always in the loop. This is how we maintain trust, safety, and accountability as these tools are introduced into real projects.
Featured speakers include Craig Daly, P.E., Deputy Chief of Engineering and Asset Management at Howard County Government; Dr. Qian Zhang of UMCES; John Oliver Smith, P.E., Director of Operations at BAI Group; Jim Echard, President of BAI Group; and Davar Ardalan, Director of AI Integration at bAI Labs.
Join us on April 23 and be part of building this new pathway — register here.