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Aipedia: Structural and civil engineers
Structural and civil engineers can use AI, but a competent engineer must check and own every output, and the professional bodies now say so in writing. That matters because AI errors in design reach site, the public and, eventually, the firm's professional indemnity (PI) policy.
Part of: AI in structural and civil engineering
In short
There is no statutory regulator of engineers generally in the UK, but the profession now has clear AI reference points. The Engineering Council and Royal Academy of Engineering revised their Statement of Ethical Principles in February 2026 to name artificial intelligence. IStructE published "Implementing AI in structural engineering" on 5 February 2026, expecting senior review of AI-produced design, an AI lead, client disclosure and no AI on sensitive projects. CROSS-UK Report 1554 shows what happens when unverified AI calculations reach a live project. PI is not compulsory by statute but is usually required by appointment, and how it treats AI-assisted work depends on the wording.
AI use in engineering practice falls into a few groups. Generative AI chatbots and large language models (LLMs) draft reports, specifications, emails and calculation narratives. Specialist tools check models against design codes, run optimisation and generative design studies, detect clashes in federated BIM models, read drone and camera imagery of bridges and facades, and interpret ground investigation and flood data. Some people are now asking LLMs to do the calculations themselves.
The common thread is that each tool produces an output that looks finished. A tidy calculation package or a confident inspection summary can hide wrong loads, missed defects or assumptions nobody checked. The professional guidance published in 2026 is built around that gap between how an output looks and whether it has been verified by someone competent to judge it.
No statutory body regulates engineers generally in the UK. The Engineering Council registers CEng, IEng and EngTech titles through licensed institutions, and institutions such as IStructE set codes of conduct for their members. Four sources matter most for AI:
Our guide to the IStructE and Engineering Council AI guidance sets out each expectation and its status.
CROSS-UK Report 1554, published on 16 July 2026, describes heavy rooftop plant proposed for an existing reinforced concrete flat-slab building of under seven storeys, with retail below and flats above. The reviewing engineer considered the architect's calculation report to be largely AI-written. It looked robust to a non-engineer but was fundamentally wrong, with a risk of overloading, and new errors appeared in each revision. No competent structural engineer had verified it.
The CROSS panel said LLMs are "not inherently calculation engines", that AI is not known to be capable of structural engineering judgement, and that responsibility must stay with suitably qualified structural engineers. It suggested designers disclose AI-assisted outputs in engineering submissions and noted that approving authorities may ask about AI's contribution. Reader feedback in September 2026 suggested a Statement of Truth for structural submissions; that idea has not been adopted.
There is no statutory compulsory PI for structural or civil engineers generally. PI is usually required by contract: appointments and collateral warranties commonly set a limit of indemnity and require cover to be maintained for a period after completion. Engineers who are also RICS-regulated fall under RICS PII rules.
No regulator or institution has published a statement on AI and PI, and the IStructE guidance is silent on insurance. A civil liability PI policy usually responds to claims alleging a breach of professional duty, and the tool used to reach the advice is not normally the test. Cover still depends on the wording, the description of your professional business and what you told insurers on the proposal form. Records of who checked and signed off AI-assisted work help at renewal and when a claim is notified.
Our engineers PI insurance guide for 2026 covers limits, warranties and renewals. Apex arranges PI for structural and civil engineers, and a broker can review how your policy treats AI-assisted design.
No single statutory regulator covers engineers generally. The Engineering Council and Royal Academy of Engineering set ethical principles, IStructE sets a Code of Conduct and AI guidance for members, and statutory duties come from Part 2A of the Building Regulations in England and CDM 2015.
An LLM can help draft narrative, but CROSS-UK warns that LLMs are "not inherently calculation engines". IStructE expects a senior engineer to review any AI-produced structural design, so numbers should be independently calculated or verified by a competent engineer before anyone relies on them.
IStructE guidance says firms should tell clients what AI is used for and what project information is collected, and share their AI policy with clients, architects, MEP engineers and Building Control. CROSS also suggests disclosing AI-assisted outputs in engineering submissions.
Often it will, because PI usually responds to a breach of professional duty however the work was produced. It depends on the policy wording, any exclusions and your answers on the proposal form, so ask your broker to confirm how your policy treats AI-assisted work.
Tell us about your firm and the work you do. A broker will review how your current PI treats AI-assisted work, or arrange new cover. No fee for a quote. Or call 0117 325 0027.
Start a PI quote Request a callbackApex Insurance Brokers Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England and Wales, company number 07014570. This page is general information about how AI is used in the profession and how insurance may respond. It is not legal, regulatory or insurance advice on your circumstances, and it does not guarantee that cover will be available or on what terms.
