Top architecture studios encourage AI use in design
Twenty-five of twenty-six leading architecture studios are encouraging the use of AI for design and project analysis, according to Dezeen research.
The world's most prominent architecture studios are embracing AI for everything from coming up with designs to project analyses and reports, Dezeen research has found. Twenty-six leading architecture studios from around the world told Dezeen about their use of artificial intelligence (AI), including SOM and Foster + Partners. A further 27 declined to comment or did not reply when approached.
Of the 26 studios that spoke to Dezeen, 25 were not only using AI but actively encouraging it. Among them are UK firms ZHA and Heatherwick Studio, US studio HOK, Rotterdam-based OMA, Indian studio Morphogenesis, Norwegian studio Snøhetta and Chinese studio MAD.
"In the last two years, the computing power and level of sophistication of AI has grown exponentially," MAD associate partner Tiffany Dahlen told Dezeen. "As designers, we need to embrace the technology and use it just like any other software or skill to be developed," she continued. "It's pretty obvious that AI is the major technological change today - just like the shift from hand drafting to CAD to Revit - and we need to learn how to use it to our advantage, otherwise we will be left behind."
Studios encouraging responsible use of AI
"HOK actively encourages responsible AI use in all aspects of the firm, in adherence with two complementary firm-wide policies: an AI Authorized Use policy, which specifies how AI may be used, and an AI Governance policy, which defines the ways in which the firm actively manages our AI-related efforts," HOK senior principal Matt Breidenthal told Dezeen. Others struck a more cautious tone, such as Danish architecture firm CF Møller. "We are encouraging them to use it, but thoughtfully," said studio partner Rune Bjerno Nielsen. They try to use it if it can make an actual impact. Otherwise it gets too expensive, and we also need to look at the environmental impact of data centres."
Barcelona-based Bofill Taller de Arquitectura was the only studio we approached that is not actively using AI, but did not explain why and did not respond to follow-up questions.
Claude.ai among favourite AI tools
nThe RIBA's now-annual AI survey has identified a steady increase in adoption of the technology by UK architecture studios in the past few years - but our research identified which of the world's top studios are using it, and which tools they tend to prefer. A clear favourite among the AI tools being adopted is Claude.ai, a large language model (LLM) built by US company Anthropic, which is being used by 44 per cent of the studios we spoke to. Other popular tools used by the studios include Google's LLM, Gemini, used by eight of the studios, alongside Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT, each used by 24 per cent of the studios.
| Tool | Usage Frequency |
|---|---|
| Claude.ai | 44 per cent |
| Microsoft Copilot | 24 per cent |
| ChatGPT | 24 per cent |
| Gemini (LLM) | 8 studios |
| Gemini Nano Banana | 7 studios |
| Stable Diffusion | 12 per cent |
| xFigura | 12 per cent |
For image generation, Gemini's Nano Banana proved the most popular, used by seven of 25 studios. Stable Diffusion and xFigura were also among most-mentioned image generation tools, used by 12 per cent of the studios. A key trend emerging alongside the use of these AI tools is the development of in-house AI systems, favoured for their personalisation and data privacy. More than half of the studios that told us they are using AI have created in-house systems, including Foster + Partners, Hassell, Heatherwick Studio, MVRDV, OMA and Gensler.
Notably, despite enthusiastic adoption of AI at many studios, only 19 confirmed that they have established policies. "We have found that AI tools can make it faster," said Breidenthal.
