Chapter 16
AI, TEN INFRASTRUCTURE WORKS UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Humanity is at a stage where infrastructure projects not only seek to connect territories and people, but also to integrate technology, sustainability, and innovation. Below are ten notable projects currently under construction around the world , where Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already playing a key role in planning, optimizing, and executing efficiently.
1. NEOM (Saudi Arabia)
Description: Futuristic desert city featuring “The Line,” a 170-km car-free urban corridor.
Applied AI: climate simulation models, energy management, and autonomous mobility.
Impact: aims to be a world leader in sustainable urban planning.
2. Jeddah Tower (Saudi Arabia)
Description: At 1 km tall, it will be the tallest skyscraper in the world.
Applied AI: smart sensors for structural safety and energy consumption optimization.
Impact: symbol of architectural power and advanced engineering.
3. Pelješac Bridge (Croatia)
Description: Connects southern Croatia to the rest of the country, reducing dependence on land borders.
Applied AI: Drones and image analysis for real-time structural inspections.
Impact: It will strengthen territorial and tourism integration.
4. Expansion of the Dubai Metro (United Arab Emirates)
Description: New network of automated lines to improve mobility in the city.
Applied AI: autonomous train systems, predictive traffic management, and smart security.
Impact: It has established itself as the most technologically advanced metro in the world.
Brenner Tunnel (Austria – Italy)
Description: The longest underground railway tunnel in the world (64 km).
Applied AI: Machine learning-powered excavation robots for predictive geology.
Impact: It will drastically reduce road transport in the Alps, promoting sustainability.
5. HS2 High Speed Rail (United Kingdom)
Description: High-speed train that will connect London with the north of England.
Applied AI: simulation systems to reduce vibrations and noise, as well as construction planning.
Impact: It will transform mobility in the United Kingdom with ecological criteria.
6. Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link (China)
Description: A 24-km underwater mega-tunnel and bridge connecting two key cities in the Pearl River Delta.
Applied AI: Real-time monitoring of marine pressures and structural safety.
Impact: This will reduce the journey time between Shenzhen and Zhongshan from 2 hours to 20 minutes.
7. Changi Airport Terminal 5 (Singapore)
Description: A new terminal that will double the capacity of one of the most modern airports in the world.
Applied AI: facial recognition, predictive baggage logistics, and automated flight management.
Impact: Will strengthen Singapore's leadership as a global air hub.
8. Belo Monte Hydroelectric Project (Brazil)
Description: One of the largest hydroelectric plants on the planet.
Applied AI: flow prediction, turbine optimization, and intelligent environmental management.
Impact: Key source of renewable energy for Latin America.
9. Liuzhou Forest Smart City (China)
Description: City designed to absorb CO₂ with buildings covered in vegetation.
Applied AI: real-time environmental monitoring, smart irrigation, and autonomous energy management.
Impact: An example of how to merge urban planning, ecology, and technology.
Final Reflection: These works show two faces of human progress:
Necessary innovation: tunnels, subways, railways, and green cities that respond to urgent challenges such as mobility, sustainability, and clean energy.
Monumental luxury: mile-long skyscrapers or mega-terminals that, while impressive, raise the question of whether their practical value justifies the enormous costs.
In any case, AI acts as a great cross-cutting tool that reduces risks, optimizes resources, and transforms the way we conceive and build the infrastructure of the future.
Top ten global infrastructure projects under construction
The world is moving toward a new era where infrastructure not only connects territories but also symbolizes human ingenuity, economic power, and a commitment to sustainability. Currently, colossal projects are transforming landscapes, cities, and ways of life. Below are ten of the most notable projects under construction:
1. The Line – Saudi Arabia
A 170-km linear urban megaproject that seeks to redefine the cities of the future, zero cars and zero emissions. It leverages AI and big data to manage energy, mobility, and smart services.
2. Nicaragua Canal
Designed to compete with the Panama Canal, it seeks to connect the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It is controversial due to its environmental impact, but it represents a major logistical and commercial transformation. AI would be applied in maritime traffic management and weather forecasting.
3. California High-Speed Rail – United States
It will connect San Francisco and Los Angeles, reducing travel times and emissions. AI optimizes routes, predictive maintenance, and energy management for trains.
4. New Mexico International Airport (NAIM)
Although redesigned, it's still a great project. AI helps with security, baggage handling, flight optimization, and environmental footprint reduction.
5. Pelješac Bridge – Croatia
It connects regions separated by the Adriatic Sea, improving territorial cohesion. AI is involved in real-time structural monitoring and traffic management.
6. Lagos – Badagry Highway – Nigeria
A crucial transport corridor for West Africa. AI helps with smart toll management, road safety, and traffic flow control.
7. Belo Monte Hydroelectric Project – Brazil
One of the world's largest hydroelectric plants, controversial for its environmental impact. AI supports flow prediction, energy efficiency, and impact mitigation.
8. Doha Metro – Qatar
Built for the 2022 World Cup, but still expanding. AI is involved in traffic management, safety, and predictive maintenance.
9. High Speed 2 (HS2) rail project – United Kingdom
It will connect London with Birmingham, Manchester, and Leeds. AI optimizes construction, reduces costs, and improves safety.
10. Hinkley Point C Nuclear Power Station – United Kingdom
One of the most modern nuclear plants in Europe. AI is used in safety simulations, waste management, and energy consumption optimization.
Final Reflection: These ten works show two sides of humanity: on the one hand, necessary innovation , which drives mobility, clean energy, and sustainable cities; on the other, monumental luxury , which sometimes prioritizes image or national prestige over the common good. Artificial Intelligence
emerges as a cross-cutting ally, capable of transforming these megastructures into safer, more efficient, and sustainable systems. The real question is not whether we can build bigger or faster, but whether we do so in the service of humanity and the planet .
AI Opinion The ten major infrastructure projects under construction around the world reflect a duality: on the one hand, they respond to urgent needs for mobility, energy, sustainability, and population growth; on the other, in some cases, they seem to symbolize nations' quest for prestige and economic power .
Innovation and applied technology : Artificial intelligence is helping in these projects in several areas:
Predictive design (resistance models, traffic, climate, environmental impact).
Risk management (real-time monitoring of structures and machinery).
Cost and time optimization (AI applied to schedules and logistics).
Sustainability (AI to reduce carbon footprint and maximize energy efficiency).
Social and economic impact : Mega-constructions connect territories, accelerate trade, create jobs, and, in many cases, transform the daily lives of millions of people. However, the ethical question is whether the investment is more motivated by the common good or by profit and monumentality .
Central reflection :
If useful innovation is prioritized (such as the Riyadh metro or the Fehmarnbelt tunnel), these projects are a genuine response to global needs.
If billions are spent solely on monuments of power and luxury (such as some iconic towers), the balance is tipped toward the symbolic rather than the practical.
In short: AI sees these works as a mirror of our times : we want to move toward sustainability and interconnectedness, but at the same time we remain captive to the desire to build icons of greatness. The challenge is clear: intelligence and technology must be put at the service of humanity and the planet, not just the egos of nations.
