Dive Brief:
- Even as the hype around artificial intelligence grows, a small share of U.S.-based architects regularly use AI for their jobs, according to a new report from the American Institute of Architects. Although 6% of architects have implemented the tech regularly, 53% have experimented with AI.
- The report notes the opportunities and concerns about AI’s increased use in the design and construction sector and quantifies the current state of adoption.
- Overall, 8% of firms have implemented AI solutions into their practice, with a further 20% currently working on implementing solutions. This is driven significantly more by large firms with 50 or more employees, which are early adopters in this space.
Dive Insight:
The report comes as builders and professionals in the AEC industry grapple with how to add AI to their workflows and stay ahead of their peers in a competitive market.
Of the 6% of workers who use AI regularly, 91% use chatbots, 70% use image generators and 61% use grammar support and text analytics, according to the report.
Additionally, a generational divide exists in how architects use the tech. AI experimentation and usage is driven by more architects aged 50 or younger, according to the report. Significantly more architects aged 35-50 have used chatbots, while those under 35 have used image generators.
However, users in the industry have worries. Nine in 10 architectural professionals are concerned about:
- Inaccuracies of AI outputs.
- Unintended consequences of its use.
- Security.
- Authenticity, or how to distinguish human-made from AI-generated content.
- Transparency about where data is stored and how it is used.
The generation gap also exists with these worries — professionals under the age of 50 are significantly more likely to be concerned about AI compared to their over-50 colleagues, per the report. The report’s authors wrote that this is likely due to under-50 architects having more direct experience with AI tools, and they expect it to affect a more extended part of their careers.
