I learned that AI is a useful tool, but it all comes back to the user. As long as it's given a good prompt, AI can support architectural research and design exploration by quickly generating organized information, but it cannot come up with a design on its own, which is why the user and tool should work together. I also learned that the quality of the output depends heavily on the prompt given. More detailed and specific prompts produced clearer, more organized, and more visually appealing results. That way, we as architects can use AI to expand our knowledge on a certain style, idea, workability, and more, but we cannot depend on it to generate a unique concept for us. AI can also adapt its tone, style, and level of detail based on the user’s instructions and approach the same topic from different perspectives, such as clarity, analysis, and creativity, which helps expand the design thinking process. 

I was surprised by how realistic and creative the AI-generated architectural images were, especially when detailed descriptions of mood and atmosphere were included in the prompts. I was also surprised that small changes in wording could significantly change the final output in both text and image generation. You could ask the AI the same question with different wording, but the output would be different, which made me realise the importance of prompt writing.

Although AI can generate useful research and creative ideas, it does not fully understand the specific context of a design project, site conditions, or user needs. Some responses can be too general and may require further verification and interpretation. AI also cannot replace the designer’s critical thinking, creativity, and decision-making process, especially when developing unique architectural concepts and site-specific solutions. AI also depends entirely on the quality of the prompt, meaning unclear prompts can lead to weak or inaccurate results. Therefore, human evaluation and creativity are still important when using AI in architecture and design. AI should be used as a tool, not a replacement.