Can AI Truly Replace Architects?

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Sources & Further Reading:
1. www.canadianarchitect.com/creative-turn-how-will-ai-change-architecture/
2. hbr.org/2022/11/how-generative-ai-is-changing-creative-work]
3. www.snaptrude.com/blog/dall-e-2-will-ai-replace-architects
4. www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/article/Hands-Project-Rediscover-Generatively-Designing-Autodesk-Toronto-Office-2020
5. willrobotstakemyjob.com/architects-except-landscape-and-naval
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[@ARTiculations]

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[@OLDMANTEA]

AI was going to replace architects until it found out how little money architects made

[@rocketsjudoka]

Yep an evil AI bent on ruling the world might be disappointed in how little money and power architects have.

[@MrJustCallMeJames]

That site saying architects have zero chance of being automated, truly have no idea.

[@ARTiculations]

More wishful thinking I guess 😂

[@smartereveryday]

I hadn't thought about home designs via AI. I bet interior designers are already working on tools to provide lots of concepts quickly with AI.

[@ARTiculations]

Yeah what I have noticed is some designers are using AI to create quick initial concepts but then when they develop the design they go back to traditional tools. I haven’t used it personally so I don’t know how clients generally react to that though. I wonder if they know the image was AI made if they will think the designer is being lazy.

[@DragN_H3art]

@@ARTiculations I'm just a layperson so I suppose my opinion isn't that important, but if the result is something the client is satisfied with, I don't think it matters what means the designers used

[@ClintSprayberry]

​@@ARTiculations I am a software and database design engineer by trade, and I've started using ChatGPT to quickly lay-out a "skeletal" structure for code or a DB, and then flesh it out from there. I've also stopped searching through old textbooks and Google for "How do I ...." across a broad variety of I.T. tools. What do I now use? You guessed it, I ask ChatGPT "How do I do this thing using this tool ..." ... it's AMAZING!!! Saves me hours a week on research and trial and error.... A.I. is going to change the world the way Electricity changed the world!

[@carkawalakhatulistiwa]

​@@ARTiculations lazy so capitalism

[@bemotivated9883]

Tysm for giving me courage and inspiration for going for arch school. I am tense alot . Is it really worthy for me to go for b arch after today Ai ability? I know I want to do and believe that I produce more creative things than Ai abilities.

[@piraterubberduck6056]

Architects have a hugely varied job. I work in creating BIM, Revit and technical content to make Architects more efficient and accurate. There are many repetitive tasks that can be automated in architecture, but architects are creative and flexible in how they work and computers are not.

[@aaaaaa2206]

Ai is not a computer.

[@archist9789]

@@aaaaaa2206 They same thing. AI is also calculator.

[@Natibe_]

No matter who you are, what your job is, it will be automated. The only people necessary are the ones that make money by owning the robots or the companies they automate. This will centralize money into the very, very few by making sure no one has jobs in any major business and no one can afford to buy from any business which doesn’t automate all its jobs away. If this doesn’t concern you, you’re blinding yourself. Something must be done- holding businesses accountable for the jobs they’re automating, setting up UBI, making these robots open source so anyone can make them and use them- something. Robots will not make a post scarcity society, they will construct the opposite. If we do nothing we will return to peasantry and feudalism under the thumbs of hypercorporations.

[@milenatos]

This is so true...And people are totally unaware of what is coming. Most don't even know what AI is yet 😢 I've been saying that and my friends on Facebook think I became a lunatic from watching too much science fiction 😢

[@jonnyo.7319]

But who will buy the products the machines produce, where will the rich and powerfull get their money from when there is nobody working/earning money to spent on their products. Unless machines olso consume and buy products and replace humanaty as a whole there must be jobs for the people or at least a way to earn money. Or am i missing something?

[@marinamuzel3067]

​​@@jonnyo.7319 I've heard something of a special payment ("income ....smth"), which is planned to be given to unemployed people.

[@TheAughts]

I have little doubt that many companies will work to reshape the entire process of whatever they create in order to account for any failure points within automation. I've worked in warehousing before, and that's exactly what it looks like there. I don't trust corporations to account for workers when considering automation, and I believe that's going to become the norm for most work, regardless of what the work comprises of. They'll automate what they can, and they'll change the function of workers to assist in that, until whatever shape the automation comes in, be that machinery or computers, can replace the workers entirely. Doesn't matter if it's detrimental to creativity or consumer experience. Automation's been turning things we thought were safe jobs into purely boutique experiences since the industrial revolution. And I think we could use some modern luddism if we're going to ensure, if not jobs, than at least regulation of modern automation practices and a general reshaping of public opinion on the value of workers, including architects. Sorry for the bummer take, I enjoy your vids a lot. :)

[@juliacoves5873]

Planners and architects should not be replaced by ai entirely, just better technologies and programs should be worked in to our fields. Ex: a ai program that shows you building layouts that conform to the by law and OP, one that would require a couple minor variances and one that would require a ZBAs

[@sukorileakbatt294]

consider the idea that AI won't have to figure out how to clear the hurdles related to copyright, adherence to building standards and chain of custody of every calculation within the design process envelope, but instead the architectural design build process will evolve so that it can be handled almost exclusively by AI.

[@felixbade2879]

I think inefficiencies through manual labor can sometimes make the end result more creative and valuable, because the subconscious mind has more time to think during the creation process.

[@ThomasTomiczek]

I agree. SOMETIMES. Like one in a thousand times. Like not worth it.

[@KannikCat]

I think what you noted at the end might be key -- will it completely replace architects? Not for a while. But will it replace some or a good chunk of architects (or a chunk of their billable hours)? Already the percentage of buildings in North America that involve an architect is small, and architects and design is seen by many as a needless expense. AI could be seen as a way to 'avoid' having to hire an architect so that executive bonuses and stock dividends can be higher. Or to have the AI do the schematic design and hire the professional only for the latter half of design development and the construction documents, turning us into executers rather than designers. And with that design and innovation could/would suffer or stagnate. (From what I understand, the cultural impression and value of architects and designers is higher in other countries/locales, so the impact and drive to cut out architects might be lessened there.) On the other side of the coin, for that great percentage of buildings that already don't involve architects in the process, maybe the AI will be able to improve the quality of the final product... :P Either way, it's a woolly path forward that could be fraught in all number of ways, and we need to engage with it while continuing to present why human design and input will always remain valuable. Like with well-done KZbin channels like this one! Great and timely video, thanks for exploring things and drawing our attention to it all. :)

[@ARTiculations]

Thanks Oliver 😊 always value your great insights!!

[@ThomasTomiczek]

That is it - first one thinking here. Does AI in the next years replace ALL of a job? No. Does it wreak havoc on the job, replacing 80% or more of the people? Absolutely. People never think about that.

[@juliacoves5873]

I work for the city of Toronto in the committee of adjustment (I’m a planner) and I work with architects daily. I don’t think ai architects will be allowed anytime soon because you would have to have a liaison between the planner and the ai, unless you teach every planner how to use that program. The city is still using ibms for our file sharing, I don’t think they will splurge to teach us how to interact with an ai architects

[@Axel-gn2ii]

Do you understand that you will need far less architects now that one architect can make multiple designs in far less time?

[@ThomasTomiczek]

So, large company with 50 architects fires 45, the other 5 do - ah, you just redefined their job. Case closed. See, seems like working for the city of Toronto does not mean you like thinking things through. You are not even ASKED - human architect looks over the plans and signs them off.

[@sukorileakbatt294]

when they replace planners too then architectAI and plannerAI will not need a liaison

[@E-utube]

Not a very bright one i'm afraid. But then again this explains the state of housing in TO😅

[@juliacoves5873]

I don’t think planning can be replaced by ai because of all the negotiation and political capital involved.

[@briandibblee5238]

I think the key word is creativity.

[@theoffsideArena]

Why Barcelona is built in Squares . Kindly explain it in upcoming videos.

[@rocketsjudoka]

AI could do things like code compliance, energy calculations and other such calculative things and probably better than a human architect. AI likely already could do basic home design as well as many human architects. The main area though where AI is already superior is generating compelling images quickly.

[@lakhdarhebiret]

We cannot replace architects, because architecture is an art, and without art we cannot live. We can add this technology to support architectural ideas.

[@joeykantot]

well if you look at this, since AI can handle now the heavy technical works, and the human contribution is to communicate to client and what they need. Then Architects can be replaced since the aspect that humans involvement is toally non technical

[@lukadundur8341]

Its just beginning it will replace all.

[@PtolemyJones]

Not 100% sure I would ever be against it. I would like to think that AI wouldn't design buildings like "the Walkie-Talkie" in London, that actually melts cars with focused sunlight. No matter what the source, the winning design will be the one that does the job best, regardless.

[@xxxdon158]

Can AI replace BIM. Pls give answer ??

[@milenatos]

Architects will stay. But as a mere executors of concepts made by AI. We will do the other less fulfilling tasks like positioning and drawing toilets, drawing details etc... A client can themself now do the very detailed concepts by putting several words of prompt that would "help them unleash their creativity" If I was choosing a career again I wouldn't choose architecture, there is no creativity in that job anymore...

[@seank9745]

😂 I think you might be right. Many Clients will arrive to the Architects office in the future with the concept already done.. say here you are, just draw it up for me.. shouldn't take long and so won't cost much. Perhaps there will be less creative people attracted to Architecture in the future.. or everyone with the help of AI will become more creative.

[@milenatos]

@@seank9745 And the consequences of the "democratized creativity" and cutting the people that are actually trained and educated in creativity out of the process, we all are going to see very soon when internet and our physical surrounding becomes filled with the AI "art" solutions from client's prompts... I have 20+ years of experience as an architect and graphic designer working with different kinds of clients. They come to us with a "prompt" because they can't envision something and it's upto us to visualize their dreams- the best case scenario, it would be OUR dreams that they liked and accepted. But then, more often you have those who come with the more detailed "prompts" and "great ideas" and then you have to buffer their lack of taste, their lack of knowledge about the architectural context, composition of forms, shapes, materials...to make something aesthetically acceptable or even great. Imagine now when they are given the opportunity to be "creative"...And go with the concept to any civil or structural engineer who is also going to sign the liability and organize the construction...

[@weasel945]

A big factor I never hear mentioned in the debate is liability. I doubt any insurance company would insure a company using AI generated CDs. It would be extremely difficult to create an AI that is able to follow ANSI, the building code, and local codes across all building types while staying in budget. The first company to design a building CDs with AI that leaks or has code violations is going to be sued out of business quickly. I could see AI taking on simple pre-engineered metal buildings, maybe upfits for a corporation, prototype architecture modifications, but more complex ground up buildings seems unlikely. Liability, code compliance, creating a proper assembly of a building, coordination with civil/structural/MEP systems, etc. all while staying in budget and creating a functional aesthetic building without human involvement is far away from achievable of AI in our lifetimes.

[@ThomasTomiczek]

"It would be extremely difficult to create an AI that is able to follow ANSI, the building code, and local codes across all building types while staying in budget" - HAHAHAHA. SERIOUSLY? AI can read. Run GAN and see one AI just correcting the second. Wait till nothing else is there to correct. Done. "he first company to design a building CDs with AI that leaks or has code violations is going to be sued out of business quickly. " - a little really stupid you are, right? What about the AI just replacing NEARLY all architects at the firm, while the others do the checking. Done. Human liability and saving 90% of the costs. Case closed. Maybe 2 generations and you are done - and then it fast turns into AI checking other AI and the government running AI also to check. You really do not like thinking - you stop on the first thought and never seem to go to the end consequences.

[@ianmurrell209]

Know an Australian engineer who was sent by his firm to the Phillippines to set up an office. That way you could cut the costs of employing Australian engineers by having Filipino engineers using the same engineering software. No judgment on the skills of Filipino engineers. Everything would flow in the internet. Same could happen in architecture.

[@Embracehistoria]

I love the background plushies.

[@ARTiculations]

Thank you! Glaceon and No Face belong to @MythologywithMike 😄

[@christophersanders3252]

I would love for all my building code work to be done by AI so I could focus on 3D modeling (the fun part). But if I give my AI friend all the code work, it will turn evil and seek revenge. On the other hand, it might instead choose to go Terminator on the building code itself and destroy all copies, creating a quasi paradise.

[@adrianchan5799]

I think its a bit sad that there will be very little innovation in terms of 'architectural style' going forward. Since the AI basically 'collages' what it sees on the internet - stuff that is already done by humans in the past or right now. Style advances like art nouveau, art deco, modernism, post-modernism (stuff we learnt in architectural history class) have stopped. However, its arguable that such stylistic advances have halted even before the appearance of AI design software. I’m not completely against the saying that our styles are being determined by the softwares that we using (rhino, grasshopper? Maya etc) since they are part of human progress. Is Midjourney just another chapter? What do you think?

[@texasreddirt1408]

It's not going to replace architects, yet, but it is going to reduce the number of lower level architects needed. Many of the tasks done by this new AI tech is currently done by levels lower than the project manager. So I see a need for new ways to train lower level architects to get to the point they can make the decisions a project manager can, but much fewer of them. AI is going to do to white color workers what machines did to blue color workers. Not eliminate them, but reduce the number required for many tasks.

[@vaiyaktikasolarbeam1906]

hmm i dont know, but the need to meet client is important

[@gordonou7065]

May I ask if you’re part of the Daniel’s Faculty?

[@orax101]

just first year?.....i hand drafted for 5 good years in the university

[@Da__goat]

Yeah, pretty picture is still pretty picture

[@Black.Sabbath]

I'm sure it can. The Sims thought of this years ago.

[@icyxxxx]

uh should I apply to be an architect?

[@renelia21]

I wonder about this too😢😢😢

[@kevinwelsh7490]

it can't synthesis a novel idea that surpasses the record of previous ideas. therefore it does not possess critical thinking. I suppose it could generate infinite mutations of previous ideas but it would be incapable of evaluating them

[@archist9789]

Can AI replace Doctors? Can AI replace Lawyers? Can AI replace Teachers? Can AI replace Artist? Can AI replace Programmers? Can AI replace My Parents? (Woops!) If it can truly replace everyone's jobs, we will all peacefully hold hands and disappear together. You are not alone. Don't worry about that too much.

[@johnkellett7797]

AI will be just another tool to allow architects to do more with less but more effectively and efficiently. It will abolish the need for technicians and technologists as mundane construction detailing is far more easily automated. Modular construction detailing is already heavily automated but will forever lack the architecture as defined by Vitruvius, and updated for the C21, as Buildable, Functional, Beautiful (objectively) and Sustainable.

[@E-utube]

😂 cope harder. You have no idea how much better AI can be than an ordinary architect in mixing esthetics with functional and sustainable parametric design. A few starchitects will survive though but they better be getting their CS masters soon lol.

[@johnkellett7797]

@@E-utube,​​⁠ AI can only trawl the internet and copy, it cannot determine right from wrong. If when asked whether the Earth was flat, and it found more conspiracy theories than facts, then the algorithms would confirm that the Earth is flat. See the problem with AI? AI is incapable of original thought as it is not, nor ever likely to be, sentient.

[@brokenrulerlabs]

The hidden element in this conversation is why AI is replacing many parts of architecture? Architects no longer relate to the public you serve. You are like academics. You only lobby to each other within the ivory tower. Sure the complexity of society will always be there, but you can't get so far aware from the average person, that only the wealthy can afford your services. You are Gate keepers, and as such, the masses will go where there are the fewest gate keepers. Your industry is like the farming sector. Automation will eliminate the architect/farmer, as we know it. Farmers needed to transition to become landstewards 30 years ago, they failed to understand their gate keeping, and today technology runs farming. Architects are not immune from this. People will always be okay without architects. We won't design rock shelters. Architecture is not sacred.

[@heltok]

Long term architects will become prompt engineers like every other field. The human architects try to understand the customer, converts this into a prompt for the computer, the computer searches the space of possible solutions, finds the optimal one, shows it, the human validates the design or updates the prompt, then the AI generates the entire manufacturing plan, gives robots the task for how to build it etc and it's done.

[@mypointofview1111]

Before architecture became an occupation people just built whatever they felt was practical. In the Victorian period you could buy books that would give ready layouts for houses which is why Victorian, Edwardian houses have the same layouts

[@Re_RAM]

You answered the question yourself at about 1:53, it's all about the data. The more data we feed AI through the tools we use, the better it will get at various tasks so yes, AI will eventually replace architects and it will be thanks to architects. PS Masterworks is a scam.

[@gerritbearda154]

Only if the data is online. How many engineers will publish their work online? Who is responsible for the AI outcomes? Who signs the AI generated design, structural engineering, etc. off and takes any claims for failure? All grandiose but like many engineers, designers, architects, civil engineers, etc. we wont be publishing anything online for an AI algorithm to plunder our work. Customers pay good money for our integrity, our experience, our designs, our engineering competence, our quality control, etc. Not going to give it away for free so that some lazy AI using "engineer" to certify a building using our calculations. Dream on.

[@Re_RAM]

@@gerritbearda154 your first mistake is assuming that AI relies on publicly available data. Your second mistake is assuming laws and regulations are static.

[@gerritbearda154]

@@Re_RAM So where does AI get the data from? Will it plunder privately held data? IP will not be protected? What laws and regulations will be amended to aid AI? Most importantly will insurance companies provide coverage for any AI engineered construction? The question of IP rights and safeguards will be most interesting for AI promoters to address. All our work is offline. How will AI access that?

[@Re_RAM]

@@gerritbearda154 Sigh. Unless you are draughting your work by hand, you use some offspring of CAD that constantly analyzes how you use the tools so it can improve itself. Where do you think that data goes? As for insurance and accountability, the car industry's used robots for decades now and liability's never been an issue. The IP issue died the day you used an online tool that has a contract clause that allowed them to use your data as they see fit. AI engineered construction has been used for decades too, what is it you think CAD and BIM do?

[@gerritbearda154]

@@Re_RAM Car manufacturers carry the liability as sellers of the final product. Using robots is not AI. Production robots (as in car manufacturing) are simply extensions of PLC (prime logic controllers). They cannot think for themselves. You have to program them to pick from A and deliver to B along a programmed route. Fast food delivery robots are a step up from PLC robots but they cannot clean up a spill without being programmed to go to the broom closet and get a mop. They cannot think I see a spill and need to clean it up.

[@MichaelFlynn0]

Hi A.I. - is my building code ready for handicapped access for the Sydney basin ? Hi Michael it is not - would you like me to adjust the corridor width for you so it complies ? err yes please, and while your at it can you check the fire regulations for the oxygen tank storage room ? Yes Michael - you will need to upgrade the wall specification on wall 01-e to 300mm. etc etc.....

[@FragmentOfInfinity]

TLDR: Yes, they can and they will.

[@christopherstorey721]

Human Value Judgements. The essence of what architects do is make human value judgments to tell a story of human experience. AI can never know what it is like to be human, and so can never make human value judgements in any kind of authentic or meaningful way. It will never be better at being human than humans, so will always be alien to the true context of human experience. The thought of AI doing schematic design makes me cringe. Is it not an ethics violation as either an admittance of professional incompetency, or illegal practice? Also, What also worries me for future humans is a cascading loss of meaningful skill and knowledge acquisition via dependence on AI for entry level work. How is the next generation supposed to learn anything to get up to speed?

[@user-hq8ko5dw2e]

Interesting…it won’t replace Designers…

[@robtownsend150]

Consider, we are not far away from ai operating the robots that surgeons operate. With the right sensors in the future ai will be able to perform complex cancer surgery.

[@arlindo.pereira]

Ai can replace archiviz workers

[@pmejia727]

There might come a day when a machine will replace the noble craft of architectural design. But it is not this day. This day we fight

[@milenatos]

It actually IS that day. Have you seen what midjourney does?

[@pietr1036]

When AI was going to end low skilled jobs like truck drivers nobody cared, but now that white collar highly paid jobs are on danger, people are starting to freaking out and call for the end of capitalism

[@aquiseb]

0:39 ok I see where the next 8 minutes are going… 😅 sorry but I think that those following 8 minutes are disconnected from the reality. You describe the progress of AI as if it was linear, but it’s exponential, it exceeds Moore’s law by far, by doubling its computational power every 3.4 months

[@johnnybigg7772]

There all out of a job around 2030. Utterly and completely obsolete. Along with the majority of other jobs.

[@AkiSan0]

yes. not only can they, they should. because proper ai will use function over form and make actual buildings that do their job properly.. scnr. slide aside. they can help to improve the job of architects by applying proper building requirements to their vision, combining both strength.