The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has published the results of the third survey among its members into attitudes towards, and usage of Artificial Intelligence (AI). It outlines how artificial intelligence (AI) adoption has changed, how its use has developed and how design professionals view the AI-influenced future.
The survey reveals the length at which AI has become embedded in the industry. 74% of practices now involve AI for most projects, rising from 59% in 2025. 59% of practices also believe AI adoption will lead to staff reductions across the sector, with 61% believing it will make it more difficult for early-career professionals to acquire essential skills and experience.
Many contributors view AI as a valuable tool in boosting productivity in practices, with 75% reporting an improvement in their practice’s productivity, and 57% of respondents reporting a positive return on investment (ROI).
Despite widespread adoption of AI, fewer than one in six (17%) of respondents agree that their designs are better because of the technology. Respondents were still vocal about the value of human creativity, judgement, and critical thinking, labelling human input as “irreplaceable”.
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While there is no evidence of sector-wide staff cuts yet, more than half of respondents believe that AI will lead to staff reductions. There is also concern that AI is increasingly automating tasks that would typically be allocated to those in training, essentially creating a barrier for early architects attempting to gain experience. One contributor to the report stated that if these tasks are outsourced to AI this means “the fundamental training that young people might otherwise get when they enter the sector becomes increasingly less available to them”. This could be detrimental to emerging architects, reducing opportunities to gain essential skills and experience, and potentially making practices less inclined to recruit junior staff if they believe AI can perform most of this work.
RIBA President, Chris Williamson said:
“AI adoption is moving at a remarkable pace, reflecting a broader shift taking place not only across architecture, but throughout the UK’s professional businesses and services more widely. Organisations are increasingly implementing AI in day-to-day operations, and architects, like many other professionals, are already seeing benefits in productivity and efficiency. On the other hand, this research makes it clear that the profession does not see AI as a replacement for human creativity and judgement, which remains at the core of architecture. Professional oversight of design remains essential if tomorrow’s buildings are going to be safe and sustainable.”
Overall, the profession remains sceptical what lies ahead, with only 21% agreeing that AI makes them more optimistic about the future of their organisation. While many recognise the opportunities that AI presents, including enhanced productivity, efficiency, and ROI, 77% of respondents agree that it can never replace human creativity. The findings make it clear that creativity, human judgement and critical thinking remain at the heart of the profession. As one contributor noted ‘AI is a tool, not a solution’, highlighting the importance of architects in guiding the responsible adoption of AI and leading the profession’s digital transformation.
