  Artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics research and implementation emerged
in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry to positively
impact project efficiency and effectiveness concerns such as safety,
productivity, and quality. This shift, however, warrants the need for ethical
considerations of AI and robotics adoption due to its potential negative
impacts on aspects such as job security, safety, and privacy. Nevertheless,
this did not receive sufficient attention, particularly within the academic
community. This research systematically reviews AI and robotics research
through the lens of ethics in the AEC community for the past five years. It
identifies nine key ethical issues namely job loss, data privacy, data
security, data transparency, decision-making conflict, acceptance and trust,
reliability and safety, fear of surveillance, and liability, by summarizing
existing literature and filtering it further based on its AEC relevance.
Furthermore, thirteen research topics along the process were identified based
on existing AEC studies that had direct relevance to the theme of ethics in
general and their parallels are further discussed. Finally, the current
challenges and knowledge gaps are discussed and seven specific future research
directions are recommended. This study not only signifies more stakeholder
awareness of this important topic but also provides imminent steps towards
safer and more efficient realization.
