Non-tech companies continue efforts to count on AI to transform operations and competitiveness.
Infrastructure consulting giant AECOM has acquired Consigli, a five-year-old Norwegian artificial intelligence startup, for approximately $390 million (4 billion NOK), according to Norwegian daily newspaper Dagens Næringsliv and industry reports. This is another in a string of deals made not by Silicon Valley companies but, in this case, a big infrastructure consultancy that intends to put the technology to work.
This acquisition is among the latest additions to the Mogin Law AI Deal Table. See who else has been added in 2025.
Generating more than $16 billion a year and employing 51,000 people worldwide, AECOM is a force in its industry but has several rivals, including Jacobs Solutions, WSP Global, Bechtel, Fluor, KBR, EMCOR Group, Parsons Corporation, and Stantec, according to MarketScreener. In addition, Mott MacDonald and Turner Construction are notable competitors in the engineering and construction sector.
Consigli was founded in 2020 in Oslo, Norway. While its revenues aren’t public, PitchBook reports the company raised about $5.18 million in funding prior to the acquisition. Consigli brands itself as “The Autonomous Engineer,” offering AI-driven automation for:
- Space analysis and unit optimization. The company uses AI to calculate how to best arrange rooms and spaces within a building to maximize efficiency.
- Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) load calculations. AI calculates how much energy, water, heating, cooling, and electricity a building will need.
- Clash-free Level 3 BIM modeling. “Building information modeling” is a type of 3D computerized design. AI checks and fixes any design issues where pipes, wires, or walls might run into each other, or clash, helping to avoid mistakes during construction.
- Tender document preparation and risk reduction. When companies want to build something, they need to prepare detailed documents to invite bids from contractors. AI helps put these documents together accurately and spots potential risks early on.
Consigli claims its technology can reduce engineering time by up to 90% and cut material use by 20%, enabling faster and more sustainable project delivery, Dagens Næringsliv reports. By acquiring Consigli, AECOM secures proprietary AI technologies that can significantly shorten design cycles, reduce project risks in the early phases, improve sustainability by optimizing material usage, and boost its competitiveness in an industry facing demands for faster and more cost-effective project delivery.
What other non-tech companies are investing in AI?
AECOM’s move is part of a trend of non-tech companies investing heavily in AI to transform their industries. Here are four other examples:
- Caterpillar is investing in AI-driven predictive maintenance and autonomous mining equipment to improve efficiency and reduce downtime, according to Reuters.
- Siemens is deploying AI for smart factory automation and energy optimization across industrial operations, as reported by Industry Week.
- John Deere is integrating AI into precision agriculture, using machine vision and autonomous tractors to optimize crop yields, according to AgFunderNews.
- Maersk is applying AI for logistics optimization and route planning to cut costs and emissions in global shipping, as reported by The Maritime Executive.
Industrial, manufacturing, and logistics firms are increasingly embedding AI into their core operations to stay competitive. Some of AECOM’s competitors have made similar moves.
Mott MacDonald and Microsoft. Mott MacDonald is a global engineering, management, and development consultancy headquartered in the United Kingdom. It provides services in sectors such as transport, water, energy, buildings, and health, focusing on infrastructure planning, design, and project management. It reported $2.4 billion in 2023 revenues, making it one of the largest employee-owned engineering firms in the world. The company recently partnered with Microsoft Azure AI Foundry to scale AI enablement.
Turner Construction and OpenAI. Turner Construction, based in New York, specializes in large-scale building projects, including commercial, healthcare, education, sports, and transportation facilities. In 2023, it reported annual revenues of $16 billion, ranking it among the largest construction companies in the United States. According to Construction Dive, Turner recently signed a multi-year partnership with OpenAI to integrate AI into workflows.
Conclusion
AECOM’s acquisition of Consigli represents another step in the transformation of infrastructure and engineering industries through AI. The trend is clear: organizations across sectors are leveraging AI to stay competitive and respond to evolving market demands. With moves like AECOM’s, the lines between traditional industries and technology continue to blur, signaling a future where AI is foundational to growth, efficiency, and resilience.
Edited by Tom Hagy, Editor-in-Chief, Mogin Law Blog
___________