Summary
In this live-recorded episode of The Blueprint Tour from the IIBEC Metro New York Chapter’s Building Smarter with AI conference in New York, hosts Kenneth Shultz, Engineering Director at PermitZIP, and Carter Huddleston, Electrical Principal Engineer at PermitZIP, sit down with Eugene Gurevich, Senior Structural Engineer and Construction Phase Director at Rand Engineering & Architecture.
The conversation dives into one of the most pressing questions facing engineering firms today: what happens when AI tools gain access to proprietary drawings, reports, and internal company knowledge? Eugene shares real-world concerns about protecting intellectual property while still leveraging the massive efficiency gains AI can provide.
Together, they explore the technical and philosophical implications of integrating AI into engineering workflows, from prompt injection risks and data privacy tradeoffs to the rise of local AI models designed to protect sensitive information. The group also examines how licensing laws may keep engineers legally responsible in an increasingly automated world, even as AI systems handle more design and coordination tasks.
Beyond AI, the discussion expands into broader industry shifts, how engineering business models could evolve, whether intellectual property will retain its value, and what lessons the music industry’s transition to digital distribution can teach the design and construction world.
The episode also highlights Eugene’s unique dual perspective as both a licensed structural engineer and architect, including his work performing high-rise inspections using rope access systems, sometimes hundreds of feet above ground level.
Thought-provoking, technical, and forward-looking, this episode offers a candid look at how engineers must adapt to protect their knowledge, maintain responsibility, and navigate the rapid evolution of AI-powered design workflows.
“You unleash an AI… and now it has access to your intellectual property, the value of your business.”
Keywords
Artificial intelligence, AI security, intellectual property, AI in engineering, data privacy, prompt injection, engineering workflows, digital transformation, construction technology, structural engineering, rope access inspection, building inspections, engineering responsibility, AI risk management, Rand Engineering & Architecture, PermitZIP, IIBEC conference, local AI models, engineering automation
“Maybe there is no IP anymore… maybe it’s all available to everybody.”
Takeaways
AI tools can unlock massive productivity gains—but they also introduce new risks around intellectual property exposure.
Combining private data, internet access, and external inputs creates security vulnerabilities such as prompt injection risks.
Local AI models may become a key solution for protecting sensitive engineering data.
Engineers will likely remain legally responsible for decisions—even as AI automates more workflows.
Business models in engineering may shift, with value moving from drawings to real-time decision support.
Intellectual property may become harder to protect as digital tools accelerate data sharing and duplication.
Real-time feedback from AI can significantly improve decision validation and reduce long-term design risk.
“What if drawings become the commodity, and answers become the product?”
Chapters
Welcome and Guest Introduction
Meet Eugene Gurevich: Structural Engineer and Architect
Engineering Hierarchies and the “Pencil Tip” Concept
AI Adoption Challenges in Engineering Firms
Understanding Prompt Injection and Data Security Risks
Protecting Intellectual Property in AI Workflows
Local AI Models vs Cloud-Based Systems
The Future of Engineering Responsibility
Business Model Shifts in Design and Construction
Lessons from the Music Industry’s Digital Transformation
High-Rise Rope Access Inspections and Real-World Risks
Final Thoughts on the Future of Engineering in an AI Era
“You can’t sue a bunch of GPUs if a building collapses.”
Where to Find Eugene Gurevich
Rand Engineering & Architecture · LinkedIn
Where to Find The Blueprint Tour
YouTube · TikTok · TheBPTour.com
Kenneth Shultz (Host) · Carter Huddleston (Host)
