Presented by

Welcome to this week’s edition of Architecture Insights. A weekly newsletter on artificial intelligence for architects, landscape architects, and designers.

This week in AI

1. The United States government announced an executive order impacting the regulation standard of artificial intelligence.

   What does this mean? 

   The major developers of AI tools like OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft to name a few are now required to share safety testing results before releasing their products to the public. This means architects and designers can trust that they can use software like Midjourney or DALL-E in a safe and trustworthy manner. Read here.

2. Apple’s entering into AI with hardware.

   What does this mean?

   Firms or practices that use Apple products can expect to see major improvements in functionality. Users will slowly see more AI tools introduced into Apple products. Read here.

Solarpunk Architecture & Artificial Intelligence

How does artificial intelligence have implications on unique design esthetics such as Solarpunk?

For reference, Solarpunk in the design sense is a futuristic, communal, and ecological aesthetic. In the ecological sense, it is more of a balance between a world of high and low tech that strives for social and economic equality.

Automation and Job Displacement: AI has the potential to automate many jobs, which raises concerns about job displacement and the future of work. In the context of Solarpunk, there is a worry that reliance on AI and robotics could lead to a society where skilled professionals such as doctors, teachers, and engineers are replaced for profit, leaving people without marketable skills.

Technological Dependency: There is a fear that increased dependency on AI and robotics could lead to a "tech trap," where society becomes overly reliant on technology owned by a small elite, potentially exacerbating inequality.

Environmental Impact: Solarpunk emphasizes the need for technologies that are repairable, reusable, and built to last, which contrasts with some current practices in technology production that may not prioritize sustainability. AI on the other hand requires massive computing power which has environmental implications.

Here is what DALL-E 3 generates with the prompt “a city that resembles solarpunk architecture”.

It’s sometimes difficult to evaluate a movement like Solarpunk that exists almost entirely in conceptual terms. However, AI gives us the ability to take these ideas and bring them closer to reality.

Rendering an image like the one above manually in Photoshop (or an alternative) would take a designer hours of time, but DALL-E was able to provide a base concept in seconds. This is a significant advantage of AI in a situation where there may be limited precedent images.

Political and Social Implications

Decentralization: Solarpunk advocates for decentralized networks and technologies, which is a principle that can also be applied to AI systems. Decentralized AI could contribute to more resilient and equitable systems, avoiding the pitfalls of centralized control and potential abuses of power.

Futuristic and Optimistic Outlook: Both AI and solarpunk architecture share an optimistic view of the future, where technology is used to create a better world. Solarpunk's aesthetic often includes advanced technologies seamlessly integrated into lush, green environments, which could include AI-driven systems.

Resistance to Dystopian Futures: The "punk" aspect of solarpunk is a resistance to negative futures often depicted in dystopian narratives. AI, when aligned with solarpunk values, could be a force for resisting dystopian outcomes by promoting positive uses of technology that benefit society and the environment.

A question every designer must ask themselves when implementing AI; Does my use of AI tools lead to a diminishment of architects/landscape architects for their creativity and thoughtful design strategies?

While there are concerns about the potential negative consequences of AI, such as job displacement and increased dependency on technology, the solarpunk movement provides a framework for how AI could be developed and used in ways that are sustainable, decentralized, and community-focused.

Resources & Tools

Try out these 5 ChatGPT prompts to inspire motivation at work. Read here.

See how AI is being developed in the world of 3D modelling. Read here.

Parametric architecture continues to host AI workshops, check out the latest one on Stable Diffusion XL x ControlNet.

FROM OUR PARTNERS

The AI team you didn’t know your company needed — until now

Hire world-class AI experts from Harvard, Stanford and MIT

Not sure how to implement the right AI strategy for your product? Hire AE Studio's world class team of software builders to craft and implement the optimal AI solution for your business.

Our development, data science and design studio work closely with founders and executives to create custom software, machine learning and BCI solutions.

From custom-built MVPs to bespoke AI/ML solutions, see how you can leverage AI to achieve your business objectives. 

Schedule a Free Scoping Session.

AI Image of the week

Thank you for reading this week’s issue, check past issues here. Share this newsletter with colleagues, friends, or anyone interested in the combined world of architecture and artificial intelligence.

Feedback is always appreciated, let us know how we did by responding to this email.

Until next Friday,

AI