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AI In Interior Design: The Pitfalls And The Potential

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Artificial intelligence has a growing presence in interior design. We examine its usefulness for the profession along with the risks it creates

a woman interacts with a touch screen AI chatbot

Interior design is one of many sectors which has seen increasing use of artificial intelligence to carry out essential tasks. Yet while AI use has advantages for designers, this is not without complications. Here, we take a look at how it is being employed, the benefits, the downsides, and the possible consequences of its increasing prevalence.

AI use in interior design

AI has shown its utility for interior designers. ‘The AI capabilities being introduced into the digital creative tools we already use as designers are fantastic,’ says Stephen Dick, founder of Residence Interior Design. ‘Presentation tools, image manipulation and image retouching tools can save us huge amounts of studio time.

‘I know of many designers using text-to-image visualisation tools, too,’ he continues. ‘In theory this is a way of creating presentation images of exactly what you need. It can take some trial and error to develop the images to a good standard, but the possibilities are impressive. Personally, I find the images generated by the current models often lack a feeling of authenticity, and this can distract from their content. Remember though, we’re currently using the worst AI that we’ll ever have, so this is going to develop, and fast.’

Preet Anand, studio leader at Mood Interiors, has found AI useful for her work. ‘AI has made its way into the inspiration stages of a project, with programs available now to interpret and envision briefs in 3D it helps my clients visualise their thinking,’ she says. ‘This assists those who are not so visual, and from my perspective takes away any ambiguity in the brief.’

But AI has also aided her in routine tasks. ‘AI has shaped the way I manage projects and admin, and is where I find I get the most use out of the technology available,’ she says. ‘Whether it’s marketing, project management or admin tasks, it allows me more time to focus on the creative process, and the areas my clients are really paying me for.’

New designers and AI

Those already in the profession trained and practiced before the introduction of AI, but the early career experience of new interior designers is impacted by it. ‘AI is developing at such a pace that new designers may not have time to hone their own skills and understanding of the design process before AI overtakes them,’ says Susie Rumbold, BIID past president and founder of Tessuto Interiors. ‘And while it will bring huge benefits by automating repetitive tasks, those same new designers may not be sufficiently experienced to judge if the AI-generated solutions being produced are those that most closely align with their client's requirements.

‘Give it a year or two and I also wonder if new designers coming into the profession, who by that point will have only ever used AI, will ever attain the required in-depth knowledge of humancentric design, or have the experience and patience needed, to objectively critique AI-generated schemes,’ she says.

A reduction in jobs is also a plausible scenario. ’If AI takes the place of young designers in a business, there will be fewer job or development opportunities which in a few years could result in a smaller and less skilled workforce,’ says BIID president elect Liz Bell, director of Absolute Project Management. ‘To counter that, businesses should continue to invest in their staff and support practical training and apprenticeships,’ she says.

Meanwhile, those applying for their first interior design positions should be cautious about using AI for job applications, Susie suggests. ‘I have interviewed a few budding designers recently who had clearly used ChatGPT to write their CVs and application letters, and then were completely inarticulate when we met face to face,’ she says. ‘Obviously, they didnt make it past first interview stage, so candidates beware!’

Panellists at Decorex

The potential pitfalls of AI

It’s not just in relation to new entrants to the profession that AI raises difficult issues. ‘I believe it’s important to understand how these models work, i.e. they're generative and probabilistic, but they don't actually know anything at all,’ says Stephen Dick. ‘Mistakes and so-called “AI hallucinations” can creep in from errors or biases in the training data. It’s crucial that users are aware and can recognise this. We need to retain our critical thinking and our oversight of the work that we use AI models for.’

Susie Rumbold also identifies risks arising from the harvesting of data. ‘Language applications like ChatGPT and image-generating applications such as Firefly and Midjourney have evolved at such a speed because there is a mass of readily available content that they can learn from,’ she says. ‘Very soon it will be impossible to tell original content from amalgamated content. And how does a designer protect their intellectual property if their content has been used without their knowledge?’ she asks.

A curbing of creativity might be a further downside of AI’s use. ‘I think it's vital that designers do not become complacent or reliant on AI for their creativity,’ says Preet Anand. ‘If all interior design firms relied on AI for creative approaches, there would be little differentiation in styles, and the market would become stagnant and dull.’ Additionally, the way in which AI works brings hazards, observes Liz Bell. ‘Algorithms look at the most liked or engaged with images and perpetuate trends or styles which could stifle new ideas, brands or designers,’ she says.

Client behaviour might also present challenges for designers. ‘It’s important that clients are not looking at images with rose-tinted glasses, and there's an understanding that budget and building structure play a crucial role in the overall project aesthetic and achievement,’ observes Preet. And clients’ own recourse to AI can be problematic. ‘Clients are using AI to find or generate images of interiors which are either impossible to achieve or can be against regulation (e.g. stairs with no banisters),’ says Liz.

Consumption of resources is also a pitfall of AI use: an important consideration for a profession concerned about sustainability. Vast quantities of water are required in order to meet the cooling demands of data centres and research from the University of California, Riverside reported in The Times shows that writing a 100 word email using ChatGPT (GPT-4) consumes 500ml of water as well as using 140 Watt hours of electricity, which is enough for seven full charges of an iPhone Pro Max. ‘We all (designers and non-designers) have an obligation to use technology responsibly and to share the knowledge we have,’ says Liz Bell. ‘I think if everyone knew the energy use and ecological impact of AI, they would use it more efficiently.’

AI’s influence on the profession’s future

Looking ahead, AI has profound implications for the interior design profession. ‘Ultimately AI use will be a democratising process, giving a larger portion of the population access to interesting design, but will it be the end of truly original design?’ asks Susie Rumbold.       

‘And as a profession, we already struggle to justify the fees we charge to produce original concepts and meticulously prepared, accurate, considered designs,’ she adds. ‘If in future clients can obtain something that is 90 per cent as good at the touch of a button, will they be prepared to pay for the “real thing”? And while some discerning, well-heeled clients will continue to use our services, will most people be happy to make do with second best? You have to wonder if this will ultimately lead to the demise of highly skilled professional design practices as we all chase a diminishing pool of work.’

For Stephen Dick, designers’ critical thinking is ‘why we're not about to be replaced by these models. Designers who understand how these tools work, whilst being aware of their shortcomings too, should be reassured about our essential role in the design process,’ he says.

In her turn, Liz Bell foresees chances as well as changes for the profession. ’No doubt AI tools will require new skills which designers will need to learn and harness, so while AI may create change, there are some opportunities there, too,’ she says. ‘I don’t think AI will take the place of interior designers as great design needs a human touch. But we should be aware of the changes coming our way and ensure we use AI for good!’