What role can Artificial Intelligence or AI have in Design of homes?
Valid question in the current times where any piece of written article you may see may have come out of ChatGpt or any of open AI system software. Definitely like graphic design and art, Architecture and interior design cannot escape the impact. A simple text prompt to design a bedroom with minimalist style can give multiple options of strong visuals in the form of rendered 3D images. Below is a one of them through a quick online experiment through AI art generator. Similarly routinely available ChatGpt (chat.openai.com) can give a detail list of design elements to be used for a particular style and type of home interior.
There are multiple software for home design easily available under AI umbrella.
Few of them available online are as under:
Most software ask for sign in or are paid version available for users. Similarly, under software like BIM or Building Information Modelling, Grasshopper, Sketchup etc, there are various AI tools that can help in 3d visualisation , fast and accurate calculation of material quantities , energy analysis in homes etc that can help the designers. AI tools can help in design and decision making process for the end user.
Will AI then replace the role of design and construction professionals?
Let's say you go to a cafe and stand in front of a huge screen. With a voice or text command, you order a pizza! You also customize your dressing and topping with olives, chili flakes, bell peppers, extra cheese etc. and ask the software to get you the pizza. You wait patiently but just within few minutes, you get a reply on screen that the order is ready. But instead of the pizza in your plate, all you get are Images of pizza you ordered on screen with different types of styles of dressing and toppings within your selection. Now comes the valid question.
"Can you now eat the Pizza??"
No!!!
Because while, with the visuals of pizza ,we're still at the step 1. After selecting one option, there will be lot of backend work in the kitchen requiring to select the right base, cutting of vegetables , ordering correct cheese, making pizza sauce, putting it together , backing at right temperature and finally serving it to you! Definitely a single software cannot serve you the pizza unless and until huge amount of backend automation or actual work in kitchen , controlled by humans does not do the duties of cooking.
AI in my opinion has similar role in the realm of design of homes. While it can give you endless
images of design options, supporting engineering calculations etc but cannot replace the hard work carried out by Architects, designers, engineers, artisans, transport operators , labor, cleaning agencies, electricians , air conditioning experts etc at the backend to deliver you the home, you can live in. Also in design visualization which is the most important role of AI tools in current context, an important question remains - "How augmented reality of images can manage to replace actual human experience of space?"
Ar. Hrishikesh Ashtekar
Disclaimer:
As an architect, I do not advocate direct use of any of the software, for which names and links given in this article, nor can ensure their safety and quality of end product in terms of its satisfaction and usefulness without consulting any knowledgeable person in these aspects
