How A&E Firms Can Avoid Being Left Behind in the Era of AI

In this episode of The Blueprint Collective, Jeames Hanley, CTO at FK and author of Remaining Human in the Age of AI, unpacks what AI, technology, and digital maturity really mean for architecture and engineering practices today.

Jeames challenges the industry’s biggest misconception: that AI is a threat. Instead, he argues that indifference is the real risk.

The conversation explores some of the most pressing issues across the industry:

• Designers clinging to output instead of value
• Teams overproducing polished deliverables that were never requested
• Fee erosion caused by chasing “the shiny thing” rather than the agreed scope
• Why universities create great designers, but not always great business leaders

Jeames also makes a compelling case for why cybersecurity is the number one challenge for 2026, explaining how AI expands risk exposure, why basic digital hygiene is still weak across firms, and how ransomware and cloud outages are already hitting practices hard.

The key message is clear: AI isn’t replacing architects – but firms that fail to rethink how they work, price value, and support their teams risk being left behind..