Consider Emma Raducanu in tennis. My dad was excited after she won the US Open, thinking she was the next big star. I disagreed, saying one win doesn’t guarantee future success. The same applied when Alcaraz beat Djokovic at Wimbledon. I reserved judgment until he proved himself repeatedly. Winning consistently, regardless of conditions, proves it’s not luck but certainty.

In the UK, there’s a supermarket called Tesco. Imagine a checkout worker at Tesco. All they do is scan items without really thinking about it. This is easy work, and anyone can do it. But guess what? Computers can do it too, and maybe even better.

​A "Tesco surveyor" is like that checkout worker. They do their job without really thinking, just going through the motions. If we do our work on autopilot, just like a Tesco surveyor, we could be replaced by computers very soon.

In the past, the world was stable. What you learned in school or university was enough for your entire career. But that’s not true anymore. Today, knowledge only lasts a few years. If you don’t keep learning, you risk being replaced by technology.

​When everyone who graduates from university can do the same thing, what makes one quantity surveyor different from another? If you can be trained to do something, a computer can be trained to do it too.

Here’s the problem: Most quantity surveyors today have the same skills. But these skills are being replaced by computers. So, we need to figure out what skills computers can’t do for the next 20 years. Then, we need to focus on building those skills.

Right now, many quantity surveyors spend time on low-value tasks that will soon be done by software or AI. Instead, we need to focus on high-value tasks that only humans can do. Let’s have a little think about how we can prepare for the future and eliminate low value tasks.

​To prepare for tomorrow, we need to stop working on autopilot and start paying attention to our work. Here’s how:

The world is changing, and so is the role of the quantity surveyor. If you want to stay ahead, you need to adapt. The key is to focus on what makes you unique and irreplaceable. By constantly learning and improving, you can develop the skills and knowledge that computers and AI can’t replicate.

Don’t be a Tesco surveyor, just going through the motions. Instead, be proactive and engaged in your work. Learn from every project, and create a playbook of successful strategies and lessons learned. This will not only make you more valuable to your company but also ensure that you remain relevant in the ever-changing construction industry.

Remember, the future belongs to those who are willing to adapt, learn, and grow. By focusing on high-value tasks and developing specific knowledge, you can secure your place in the industry and thrive in a world where technology is advancing rapidly. The work you do today to prepare for tomorrow will set you apart and make you an indispensable asset in the future of quantity surveying.