AI in Architecture: Key Insights From a Conversation with Ichi and the 2025 AIA President

Architects enter the profession to design meaningful spaces—but too often, their time is consumed by navigating dense codes, managing RFIs and submittals, or combing through massive plan sets. In the era of increasing project complexity and tightening timelines, these administrative demands have become a defining challenge across the industry.

In a recent episode of Practice Disrupted, hosted by Evelyn Lee, 2025 AIA President, Ichi's founder and CEO Brandon Levey shared how he sees AI reshaping architectural practice—and why he built Ichi to meet this moment. The conversation brought together Brandon's two decades of experience in technology, his hands-on upbringing in construction, and his belief that AI can meaningfully reduce the operational burden architects face every day.

As Brandon made clear, the goal isn't automation for its own sake—it's to give architects the space to focus on thoughtful design, better QA/QC, and delivering higher-quality work with fewer surprises.

Listen to the Full Conversation

Episode 218: A Founder's View on AI and the Next Era of Architecture

Key Takeaways

1. Architecture's Biggest Pain Points Aren't About Design—They're About Operations

The conversation emphasized the significant—and often invisible—strain architects face from compliance, administrative tasks, and knowledge management. These bottlenecks ripple across project schedules, budgets, and team morale. The result? Architects spend less than 50% of their time doing actual design work.

There is a large opportunity for technology to relieve this strain by integrating AI into the most resource-intensive parts of the workflow: code navigation, QA/QC, and construction administration.

2. Code Compliance Needs a Better System

Building codes are expanding, becoming more specialized, and being updated more frequently. Architects must navigate not just ICC codes, but layers of state, county, and city amendments. The ever increasing code complexity creates an increasing administrative burden on firms.

Architects need a better code compliance system that emphasizes speed, accuracy, and trustworthy sources. Ichi's approach—combining licensed code content with AI-driven analysis—is one example of how AI tools for architects can relieve an industry pain point.

3. Automation Is Not About Replacing Architects—It's About Amplifying Them

The conversation underscored that automation in architecture isn't "push a button, get a building." Instead, automation augments human judgment by handling rote and repetitive tasks that humans shouldn't have to do manually anymore.

Adopting AI-powered automation can help architecture firms bridge the gap between talent shortages, tighter schedules, and increased demand for QA/QC rigor. While still relatively new, automations are increasingly shifting from a "nice to have" to "mission-critical" technology.

4. Knowledge Management Is Becoming Critical as Firms Face a Generational Transition

A recurring theme was the growing urgency around knowledge transfer. As many of the profession's most experienced architects near retirement, firms are grappling with how to capture decades of expertise before it disappears. This institutional memory — jurisdictional nuance, technical decisions, constructability insights—is essential to maintaining quality and continuity.

Firms are increasingly looking for structured ways to preserve and share that wisdom across teams. The shift is industry-wide: architecture is recognizing that strong knowledge management will be key to navigating the coming generational change.

5. Privacy and Data Integrity with AI Are Frontline Concerns for All Architects

As the industry explores AI, one consistent theme keeps coming up: data privacy. Architects work with sensitive information—from proprietary design details to client confidential data—and they need assurance that tools will handle this responsibly.

The industry's expectations are evolving quickly and platforms must meet those high expectations for customer data. A broader truth is emerging: trust will determine which AI tools find lasting adoption in the built environment.

Top 4 Ichi Questions from Evelyn

Conclusion

This conversation made one thing clear: the next decade of architecture will be defined by firms that embrace new ways of working. As project complexity grows and expectations rise, architects need tools that keep pace with the realities of modern practice. AI isn't replacing the profession—it's strengthening it by giving teams the support they need to work smarter and maintain quality across every phase of a project.

Ichi is committed to being a partner in that evolution. With AI tools built specifically for architects and a platform designed around accuracy, privacy, and real-world workflows, Ichi is helping firms navigate this shift with confidence.

For teams looking to modernize their operations and prepare for what's next, Ichi is here to help move practice forward.