A new chat series, Chaos Talks AI, is bringing industry experts together to discuss AI and its role within architecture, design, and visualization (sign up for the series here if you haven’t already).
Every month, Chaos Community Ambassador Phil Read is joined by guests to openly discuss topics like responsible AI, the state of AI in AEC, and new developments such as agentic AI.
The first session premiered on October 9, with three special guests:
- Brandon Dorsey (Chief Technology Officer, Vocon)
- Marty Rozmanith (Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer, Skema.AI)
- Dan Ring (Machine Learning Team Lead, Chaos).
Here are the highlights! 👇
AI: another tool on the tool belt
To kick start the discussion, Phil asked 'What is AI? What is it not?'.
All agreed that it's a horizontal tool that supports workflows, but it doesn't replace human creativity or judgement. It's really about helping to solve problems, speed up workflows and interations, and automate repetitive tasks like sheet setup or file naming, so designers can focus on what matters most, including being more creative.
💡Interesting quotes:
“It's a horizontal technology like electricity, that's cutting across all industries, which is why it's on everybody's lips.“ - Marty.
“It is just another tool in the tool belt to help us through our workflow.“ - Brandon.
“AI is just the next evolution of how we solve problems.“ - Dan.
“A lot of what we're doing is not AI, it's just discrete math.“ - Marty.
“It's helping that design iteration... to exponentially get us to an end goal faster, but it's not replacing the human ingenuity and creativity that needs to take place.“ - Brandon.
“I don't see the risk to creativity. Creative people will still be creative. An artist will always push towards the edge, whatever that edge is, and they'll keep going past it.“ - Dan.
Responsible AI and accountability
The panel discussed how the responsibility for AI outputs remains firmly with the architect or designer. AI tools can generate answers based on the data and prompts they’re given, but they can’t be held accountable. That responsibility lies with the licensed professional. The speakers also discussed the risks of overtrusting AI-generated content and insights, and how architects must continue to exercise good judgment.
💡Interesting quotes:
“It’s gonna give you an answer, but you can’t hold it accountable, because the answer is all based on how you ask the question. So the accountability is still with you.” – Marty.
“You have to be able to understand through your education what is right and what is wrong. And understand when you step in as the human intervention to make that judgment call, because an AI solution doesn't have morals, it doesn't have human ingenuity to be able to help make those decisions.” - Brandon.
Trust comes from real interactions
The conversation often returned to the idea that AI cannot replicate the human elements of architectural work, and it will not replace architects. Technology can certainly help to accelerate workflows and output, but it can't use empathy or build trust with clients. Reading subtle body language cues, trying to understand the deeper motivations behind a project, and even talking to clients on a more personal level are important for building a good relationship and ultimately, trust in your work as the expert and licensed professional.
💡Interesting quotes:
“Going to dinner with the client and having a sidebar conversation about maybe their personal life — that builds trust. That’s not going to be an AI transaction.“ - Brandon.
“...the trust factor is the thing that is separating the tools you use, versus you, the licensed professional that people trust with a project, because they know they can hold you accountable.“ - Marty.
“It’s about letting the technology take care of the repetitive parts so we can focus on what really matters — the creative and the human side.” - Dan.
Dealing with so many tools
Also mentioned was the speed and number of new tools that are being developed. There are just so many. At Brandon's firm, they experiment with a handful of tools per quarter (around two to three), thinking about scalability and what training would look like if they were to introduce a tool to the firm.
💡Interesting quotes:
“Tools are popping up like mushrooms… if you’re Brandon and you’re limiting yourself to two or three a quarter, that’s great. That’s what you should do. It’s about how you string them together in a way that has value for the firm.” - Marty.
“There are so many [AI tools] coming to market, that you can't just absorb every AI tool that's out there. So, understanding what we're solving for, and really trying to make sure that it can be rolled out for the firm is really like our North Star.” - Brandon.
“It's not the cost of the tool that I'm looking at. It's the cost of the training for that tool, holistically for the firm. We can look at all the tools, and the cost could be $20, like you said. But how do I train the staff to use that tool in a way that's effective?” - Brandon.
AI tools and resources
Firms are already experimenting with a range of AI-powered tools that enhance the creativity and productivity of their teams. The panel agreed that it's important to have open conversations within the industry about AI and how it's being used. Adoption is growing fast, but firms must first understand what answers they are trying to solve, what they're trying to achieve, and then choose tools that genuinely add value.
AI tools and resources mentioned included:
- AI in AEC - Useful for tracking emerging technology. Includes demos.
- Shred.ai - AI-assisted proposal writing.
- n8n - AI workflow automation.
- Adobe - AI features built into their creative tools.
- Enscape & Veras - AI rendering to speed up the design process, particularly iterations.
- Grammarly - For writing suggestions and proofreading.
- LM Studio - To run AI models locally on your computer.
- Comfy AI - Open-source node-based application for creatives.
💡Interesting quotes:
“If I were to pull up our tech stack, there’s a dotted line back to AI, because every tool basically in our stack has some form of AI built in now.” – Brandon.
“One of the most important things you can be looking at right now is an open-source platform called N8N… which allows you to leverage LLMs along with other tools in the office to construct workflows.” – Marty.
State of AI in AEC & the future
The next live session of Chaos Talks AI will take place on November 6, 4pm CET. During this panel discussion, we'll be diving into the the current state of AI in AEC, the latest innovations, and what the future holds.
Get involved, participate in the chat, and get ready to ask your questions. We look forward to seeing you there! Register here.