Beyond the Visuals

Abstract

The impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) research advancements is visible in many fields, from medicine to the visual arts. In architecture, Generative AI tools have enabled designers to generate large numbers of compelling images through simple textual prompts, triggering critics to focus the theoretical debate around issues of authorship and creativity of design outputs: the process goes into the background, and investigating the collaboration mechanisms between human architects and machines loses its centrality. This essay aims to restore continuity between the research conducted in AI in design of the 1990s and the current technological developments in the field by illustrating how recent applications of AI models and tools can support designers in areas other than image generation. We discuss how architects can establish and strengthen forms of collaboration with AI to develop and review design proposals, offering an approach that embraces AI as a partner rather than a replacement for human creativity. The rapid progress made by Artificial Intelligence (AI) researchers is transforming a niche field of study into one of the most significant innovations of the century, with applications being developed in all disciplines, from medicine to the visual arts.