Preserving and Protecting ACI's Intellectual Property

With each passing day, we all witness the rapid growth and influence of artificial intelligence (AI) in our daily lives. Its impact on everything we do, personally and professionally, is profound, and how we interact with it requires great vigilance and care. That is why we are turning to you—our members—to help put a new Policy into practice as you review ACI documents and uphold the standards that define ACI. Your actions today will help preserve and protect ACI’s intellectual property—the legacy of ACI members’ past, present, and future contributions—for years to come.

In May, ACI released its Board Policy on the use of AI, a comprehensive policy governing the use of AI technologies across ACI’s programs, publications, standards development, and educational resources. The Policy reflects ACI’s commitment to advancing concrete knowledge responsibly as AI tools become increasingly prevalent throughout the construction industry.

AI is reshaping how our industry designs structures, optimizes materials, delivers projects, and absorbs information. This Policy ensures that ACI and the professionals who rely on our resources may embrace the benefits of AI while maintaining the rigor, integrity, and trust that have defined ACI for more than a century.

Why now? Over the past year or so, ACI has noticed a significant uptick in references to our codes and standards across different AI platforms. Some rightfully respond to queries with general summaries, conclude with a statement to the effect that ACI owns the copyright to these materials, and direct the user to the ACI website for further information. However, at least a couple of these platforms have instead provided verbatim excerpts of copyrighted ACI intellectual property.

ACI is not alone in this endeavor. Many organizations and companies within our industry—and many in other, unrelated industries—have taken positions like, or even more restrictive than, ACI’s Board of Direction.

The Policy, which I have included below in its entirety, will be incorporated into ACI’s documents and processes, including the ACI Technical Committee Manual (TCM), the ACI Educational Committee Manual (ECM), and the ACI Certification Committee and Program Operations Manual.

We have communicated this Policy in a structured manner, with direct email and follow-up communications to Technical Committee Members, Educational Committee Members, Certification Programs Committee Members, Chapter leaders, the Board of Direction, Board Committee Chairs, and all ACI staff. We also published this information on www.concrete.org for broad member awareness.

We understand that many of our members and volunteers may have some questions and concerns. We have received your feedback, and we are listening. This is ACI’s initial introduction of this Policy, and it will be revised and updated, as required, to best align with our member and Committee work. As our ACI Vision states, [W]e envision a future where our stakeholders have the knowledge and skills necessary to use concrete effectively in a changing world.
AI is certainly part of that changing world, and we must learn how to effectively use it while protecting the materials that ACI’s members create.

Thank you for your help in advancing ACI’s Mission: [T]o advance knowledge of concrete and its use. Your leadership and stewardship ensure that ACI’s legacy—and its impact—will endure well into the future.

Scott Anderson

Ask the President

Do you have a question for the ACI President? Email inquiries can be sent to askthepresident@concrete.org.