What will happen to architects with the arrival of artificial intelligence?
By Azul Romo
Artificial intelligence (AI) is here to stay. And while many think it’s coming to replace us, I believe that in architecture, it comes to complement us.
Will it change the way we work? Yes.
Will it take over technical tasks? Probably.
Will it replace us as designers? I doubt it. But for that not to happen, we must pay attention to what we let go… and what we choose to preserve.
Pretty render = good project?
During architecture school, I often heard things like, “Your render looks amazing! So your project is amazing.” But that’s not always true. Renders, like models, are tools to visualize a project, not to define its architectural quality.
At some point, we crossed a dangerous line: we started to believe that if something looks good, then it’s well designed. And that’s not necessarily the case.
A professor of mine used to say, “Function creates form,” and that marked me. Yes, we can love Zaha Hadid’s aesthetics or Frank Gehry’s materiality, but if a design starts from “because it looks cool,” without thinking about use, context, and people… something important is missing.
AI as a tool, not a threat
AI can take over many tasks: renders, plans, models, space optimization, even site analysis. But it cannot (yet) create with intention.
Just as we once moved from hand-drawn plans to AutoCAD, today we’re facing another technological leap. The difference is that this change is deeper and faster. And as architects, we have two options: resist it or evolve.
My proposal is clear: use AI as an ally. Don’t fear it. Learn from it, take advantage of it, delegate mechanical tasks… but never lose the analysis, the research, the “why” behind every design decision.
A generational clash that reveals a lot
Imagine this scenario: an architect who graduated in the 80s versus a newly graduated architect (like me) working on the same project. Taking away years of experience, I believe the old-school architect would have a more functional and thoughtful design.
Why? Because they learned from the roots: to analyze, observe, question. We, on the other hand, often focus more on the visual result than on the conceptual process.
What if AI accelerates our process so much that we stop thinking? What if that’s already happening?
The essential must not be lost
We already experienced a major shift: from paper to digital. And with it, many stopped thinking by hand, drawing with intention, observing with patience. AI could bring another wave of simplification, and with it, the risk of losing the essence of our profession.
There’s a phrase I’ve always liked:
“Those who do not know their history are condemned to repeat it.”
Perhaps, to look towards a future with AI, we first need to review what was lost along the digital path. Maybe it’s time to start thinking from the depths again, not just from the form.
How are you preparing as an architect?
This blog is a space where I want to share ideas, ask questions, and observe what’s happening in our profession from my perspective.
If you made it this far, thank you for reading me.
And if any of this resonated with you… the conversation is welcome. ✍️
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Azul Romo
Architect & lifelong learner
🪄 Writing from where doubt is born, and the desire to understand more.
