1.    AN AI DESIGNER?

With all the talk about AI bots like CHAT GPT, Discord’s Mid Journey, every designer we know, had been talking to us about AI and whether our AI will ever replace their job and take over their livelihood. Since SIXiDES has an AI function in our EQuote, I thought it would be good to discuss this topic.

2.    WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL ABOUT AI?

AI or Artificial Intelligence has been making huge strides in many industries. In Singapore, the most common AI Bot we know of, is the pop-up bot that greets us in many of the government agencies’ portals, ‘Jamie’. You either love her or hate her, but ‘Jamie’ has been silently learning your type of questions, fielding your requests, and making her adjustments so that she can better serve the queries. Further to that, she is also efficiently sifting out different type of queries and either giving prepared answers or directing them to relevant departments in the agencies to tackle the queries. You cannot really deny how efficient it is and how much manpower is reduced in handling daily queries from users.

With advancements in technology, it is natural to wonder if AI can eventually replace human interior designers. Can a “Jamie” AI Interior designer replace a real human Jamie interior designer? Our short answer to this is, NO, for now. It is unlikely that AI can completely replace the expertise and creativity of a human interior designer.

How SIXIDES’ Equote reads the images and identify the design themes.

3.    SO WHAT CAN AI DO IN INTERIOR DESIGN?

The current AI technology can assist interior designers in many ways, such as providing design recommendations, generating 3D models and renders, and as well as customer data. Some powerful AI-powered software can also help designers identify new design trends, market preferences, and streamline workflow processes such as project management. With these tools, designers can create more personalized and efficient designs that meet specific needs of their clients. To cite an example, we can use AI to predict how many light fixtures and what kind of brightness is required for a space that will be inhabited by elderlies. As AI collects data from a broad set of users, this useful AI generated suggestion, will assist the designer to better plan for the lighting design of a home meant for multiple generations!

4.    SO, AI IS NOT OMNI-POTENT? 

Despite the many advantages of AI in ID, there are still some limitations to the technology. For example. AI lacks the ‘human touch’ that is essential to design work. As we all know, Interior design is more than just aesthetics, it is somewhat of art and science coming together. All designers had been trained to practice the saying, “Form follows function.” Designers are trained to use their creativity, intuition and their most important skill, empathy to design and make proposals that makes functional, aesthetical, and budgetary sense. This is something, no AI, now can replicate. A human designer can interpret a client’s preferences and transform them into a unique and personalized design that reflects their personality and lifestyle.

Instant AI Generated renders from photos to dressed up renders

Besides this, anyone who had gone through an interior design and renovation process will know that ID and renovation work, requires a certain level of commitment, collaboration, and communication that AI is still incapable of replicating. Can you imagine a building designed by an AI collaborating with an AI interior designer, or collaborating with an AI project manager? At this point in time, I cannot imagine if I would stay in such a building designed and built completely by AI. As of now, we are aware design feasibility is quite a dynamic process, and it involves the understanding and compliance of building codes, budgets etc. Human designers can build relationships with clients and communicate effectively, with empathy. These factors help create a positive and successful design experience!

5.    CONCLUSION IS…

My take is that AI at best, is good at being efficient and filtering out certain data. Like the AI in our EQuote, it works as a tool for homeowners to use the tool to determine the cost of certain styles and looks. It helps provide perspective and speeds up the research process between the designer and the clients. In fact, members in the family making decisions for the home renovation, can also use the tool to do fast research. But make no mistake that the AI technology now, cannot replace the emotional connection between a designer and their client. Interior design and especially home related design work is really an intimate and personal experience, which only a human can build upon to establish trust and understanding. Only when these are met, then the human designer can produce works that reflects the emotional and personal preferences of the clients.

While AI has many benefits and can enhance the ID process, it is still very unlikely that it will ever completely replace human interior designers. It can provide valuable insights and assistance, but it will always need a human to empathise and put themselves in the shoes of the clients. AI does not even have feet, much less put on shoes (pun intended). As of now, the best approach is for designers and clients to embrace AI technology as a tool to enhance the design experience. Its capabilities will become more and more essential in the design process, and we are all hoping that in the grand scheme of things, new and better design works will one day, really reflect the saying, “Form following functions” as modern interior designers adopt this hybrid approach of harnessing AI technology into their work.

Astley Ng

The Designerd

Sixides Editorial Team