AI Assists Architects but Lacks Emotional and Moral Understanding

In recent times, various industries have undergone a significant transformation due to the emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The launch of ChatGPT, a versatile tool that can compose poems, solve equations, and generate articles on diverse subjects, has garnered immense attention and popularity.

Will it soon replace architects and architecture schools with the rapid introduction of artificial intelligence in various fields? To answer this question, we need to understand the possibilities of artificial intelligence and the role of architects and architecture schools.

Architectural education

AI-related topics and research are developing rapidly, but AI lacks certain qualities and characteristics that architects gain from completing architecture school. At its core, architects learn to use a variety of skills to combine technical knowledge, arts, aesthetics, emotions, and other qualities.

Architecture schools train their students in such a way that they can respond to specific design problems with solutions based on their personal experiences, design style and other factors.

Creativity and innovative solutions are the result of combining different skills, personal experiences and technical knowledge, which future architects develop in architecture schools.

The same process exists when it comes to artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence is trained on various datasets to find solutions. In some cases, like ChatGPT, it uses this dataset to create new and innovative solutions.

But artificial intelligence is limited by its data sets, especially when there is not enough data or it requires too many resources to collect. This is the main difference between humans and AI.

People can use their experiences, skills and other characteristics to come up with innovative solutions without being limited to specific data sets.

Better efficiency

Artificial intelligence has various capabilities that can significantly help many different industries, including architecture and construction. Artificial intelligence can, for example, help Architects in architectural programming and creating building layouts. It can provide rendered and other types of visualizations.

In general, AI can enhance many different processes, such as schematic design and rendering. Architects can develop custom platforms based on their guiding principles, visions, design styles and other values.

However, the aids leading to the final product can interrupt the learning process in schools. Students are meant to learn skills by exploring different design solutions, ideas and philosophies. But architecture students may not be fully engaged in learning if they use aids that obscure or remove the process.

Therefore, architecture schools should carefully study how to integrate artificial intelligence into their curriculum to improve the learning process of architecture students.

Lack of true empathy

In addition to schools of architecture, it is important to understand the importance of the common values, heritage and cultural characteristics of a community or even a person when planning architects’ design solutions.

Although AI can analyze such information, it cannot truly understand and understand these different aspects.

At the same time, architects’ decisions have responsibility and accountability. The student learns about issues of sustainable development, long-term effects of planning, ecological footprints and other similar topics.

Although AI can be provided with decision-making capabilities, it cannot replace the roles of architects in the ethical decision-making process.

In addition, in architecture, there is cooperation between different stakeholders, from customers to interior designers, construction engineers and other experts. Although AI can engage in dialogue, it lacks the ability to engage in dynamic interactions and truly understand the intentions and experiences of different stakeholders.

A human necessity

Artificial intelligence is still in its early stages and may certainly develop significantly in the coming years. At present, however, it seems unlikely to replace the irreplaceable role of architecture schools and architects, as it fails to fully understand cultural values and heritage.

Also, AI cannot take advantage of personal experiences, feelings and understandings of different concepts and models. In its current state, AI cannot engage in meaningful collaboration where it can truly understand the needs of different stakeholders.

Additionally, the ethical issues, responsibilities, and liabilities involved must be addressed before proceeding to more advanced steps that may allow AI more freedom in the design process.

Although AI can significantly improve the efficiency of the design process and enhance the learning experience, it is too early to consider it – even partially as an independent entity – during the architectural design process.