The answer to this question is a bit complex. The short answer: No. The long answer: Yes. Confused? Read on!
Have you noticed how prevalent AI has become in the design world? I'm sure you've seen something like the image above. From social media platforms to professional sites, it seems that virtual spaces are everywhere, posing as real-life interiors. As someone who works with 3D modeling and design, I admit that some of these images have also fooled me! Initially, I remember feeling slightly frustrated, thinking, "How can I possibly compete with an imaginary, non-functional creation that's receiving so much credit?" It's like competing with a fantasy - which I suppose women have been dealing with for decades but that's a different topic! Nevertheless, it stands to reason that Artificial Intelligence isn't going anywhere. In fact, I'm currently using AI to write this blog post! I type what I want to say in broad strokes, I "improve" it with an AI application, I edit it again to remove the weird tone that always gets inserted with an AI "improvement", add any details that were missed, and then there you have it: my final version of the post.
This process of editing my blog posts with AI is actually what made me change my mind about AI and Interior Design. It is PART of the process. Not the whole thing. I've come to realize that AI can be an incredibly powerful tool that designers and architects can use to make their work more efficient and optimize their business.
Read on to learn more about how AI is changing the landscape for interior designers and architects.
Human Design
No no, not the New Age practice but the age-old one. Spaces being designed and created for and by humans. Artificial Intelligence will never replace humans in interior design or creative architecture because, at it's heart, Design is human-centric and always will be.
Unless we find ourselves in a dystopian reality where human creativity and uniquely personalized living become non-existent and we have AI-built commercial spaces that are designed for a purpose rather than for a person. But that wouldn't even really be interior design anymore, would it? That would be more like "conveyor belt buildings" and we would have to find a new word for interiors designed without a soul. (Is it called Hell?)
The fact of the matter is: Good design can't happen without personal connection, understanding, and human creativity. There's something special - a personal story or unique touch - that only a human designer can deliver. It's the small details that make a space truly magical.
Don't Become Obsolete
While AI might not be able to take the place of a designer, it might push some designers to the sidelines. That is, designers who refuse to use AI as part of their process. Like any other technology, we HAVE to learn to work with it, not against it. Imagine a business that refused to ever get a website because they "don't trust technology". Where do you think that business is now? Probably not doing so well - or not as well as they could be doing if they had just built a website back in the early 2000's when they should have. My point is that technology keeps moving forward and we must move with it or we'll be left behind.
Integration
AI for interior design is a valuable tool that can help us bring our creative visions to life. It can be another tool to enhance our creativity and optimize our businesses. Just as we use hand sketches, photos, samples and 3d rendering software like SketchUp or Revit, AI mockups and visualization tools can be used to help clients envision the plan before continuing to the procurement stage. It gives us another way to streamline the design process, efficiently manage projects, and even predict trends through predictive analytics! It allows us to explore innovative ideas, find unique solutions, and create spaces that truly reflect our clients' best selves. We can infuse our designs with a sense of well-being and self-expression, transforming rooms into inspiring sanctuaries. So while it's true that AI alone can't replace the magic of human ingenuity, it certainly has its place in the design process.
What do you think? Love or Hate AI? Maybe a mix of both like me?
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