Generative AI in Architecture and Design, ft. SaSi Studio
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[00:00:00]
Stephen Drew: Hello, everyone. Get ready. This could be the last show before the robots come. Ai, artificial Intelligence chat, G P T chat, G P T. Tell me what to do in this. It hasn't given me the tips yet, but one day it will. Until then you've got me mid journey at the ready, whatever AI is there. I don't know.
There's quite a few. Okay. 20 seconds. 18 seconds Friday. There you go. Only four, four or five more hours until the pub after this. And then, okay. Cool. All right.
Hello everyone and welcome to this livestream special. I've got an awesome guest, but just before we do that, I'm gonna tell you what today is all about. So if [00:01:00] you have ever used chat, G B T, or if you've used Mid Journey or you've watched a film about AI or something other crazy. And you're probably familiar with the term.
You can't go on the internet without people talking about it, but I thought to, let's bring it into Architecture Now. I don't practice Architecture anymore. I do this podcast, and I'm mean Excel, and I'm on the phones, but I know a lot of cool architects that do this stuff as well. And last year I was fortunate to meet one of the co-founders and directors of Sassy Studio, whose name is Mattia Santi Mattia.
How are you today, sir? You. Okay?
Mattia Santi: Thank you. Thank you for having me here today. And thanks to our Architecture Social for the opportunity of being part of this very exciting talk.
Stephen Drew: No worries. So Mattia, tell me about yourself then. Who are you, first of all?
Mattia Santi: So I'm an Architecture engineer. I'm co-founder of sasi Studio. I worked for many years for several firms including architects and [00:02:00] After that, I decided to open my own company. And I also co-founded the design digital magazine that works in the investigates that you role in new technology in this field.
And I also teach in know in the time I have Outside of the profession, like I also teach Director Association. I teach in Spain, so we do like some teaching activities, and I co-founded studio with my wife Francesca.
Stephen Drew: Brilliant. Okay, amazing. Now I'm gonna bring up a little bit of eye candy of Sassy Studio first so that people can see all the cool stuff that you do. Now, Mattia, tell me exactly what is Sassy Studio. Give us a little bit of a flavor of what you do.
Mattia Santi: So we are a multidisciplinary practice. We work on project a different scale. We work on high rise building. We work on mixed use development. We work also an interior design project. We work on several product design project. And we also recently started working on digital [00:03:00] products.
We are investing also in this direction. And we, especially one important area in which we experiment a lot is the use of new technologies like artificial intelligence, but also like we are investing in the Metaverse and digital things. So these are areas in which like we are very excited to, to invest our.
Our resources and we work in different countries. Like at the moment we are following project in some project in US and some project in Dubai. And yeah, so we do Architecture in the large spectrum.
Stephen Drew: I love it and it's very rare. So you were one of the first Architecture practices that I ne I was aware of that does stuff in the Metaverse Now I. Know that you are probably gonna come on another time and expand upon the Metaverse as well, but it is interesting. So tell us quickly, you mentioned that you are on the Metaverse and also you're doing a little bit of artificial intelligence now.
I know you've got something to show us in a little bit, [00:04:00] but tell me where, but where did that come around? Because I've I originally think of architects building, just building. So tell me about that hybrid business model.
Mattia Santi: Ma let's say, I think the Metaverse will expand the physical reality. As today, let's say a website is important as well as a physical shop, I believe that current internet is just Step in between the what would be the future of the internet?
I believe in a three-dimensional internet. I believe that we can go beyond the age of the screen. We can, I believe in an internet that surround us. It's not like just something we interact with surface, like to a screen. But I believe that, in a more immersive Cloud experience that will bring special computing around us and will allow everyone, to access let's say an additional layer to the physical reality.
That's why we invest on Metaverse. We believe that, is is going to be an important technology for society. And it's also a way that, humanity have to to win some of the physical barriers. Imagine two people that [00:05:00] live far from each other and can, go shopping together in the Metaverse.
This is something like, I find very romantic.
Stephen Drew: Yeah. I think so too. I find it I'm very curious now. I think that's good to set the set in. Now, I'm, we are in for a treat in the audience because actually Matea is one of the most organized guests that I've had and Matea. You have a little bit of a presentation just to give a bit of an overview, and I was wondering if I bring that up on screen now.
Are you happy to dive in and go through what you've beautifully prepared?
Mattia Santi: Yeah, I think it's just, it is a few slides that, run us through, some concept, starting from some recent news to what, considering what was happened before. These these all ai, news and, I see what actually are different type of AI and how we are applying them in our, in our business.
Stephen Drew: Brilliant. I'll bring it up now, but don't worry then. And in the audience, if anyone's got any questions from Matea as we go along, you can do, we've already got hell. Hello? [00:06:00] Hey. Hello. So I can, hello?
Mattia Santi: Hello? Hello everyone.
Stephen Drew: yeah. Hi. But if there's anything as we go along, Yeah, feel free to go in, but Mattia, we're all yours and I'll just sit back and chill out for a minute.
Mattia Santi: Yeah, so I guess everyone, as you say, you cannot go on internet without talking about ai. A few days ago came out to the new episode of Black Mirror. That really gave us an astonishing idea of how AI can influence our life in the future with this realtime generated movies.
And I guess these this sort of technology has been raising a lot of positive feedback, a lot of interest, million of users in few weeks, but also a lot of concern, are going to be many jobs being replaced by machines is going AI to, AI is gonna take over our, what human do does better, especially in the creative industry.
And I think it is important, to know the technology is not to be scared about it. I think, like when we. Started when we passed from AutoCAD, [00:07:00] from hand drawings to AutoCAD. Of course, like Kim. Speed up the process change the amount of things a person could do, but it didn't, completely erase people.
It's like photography, photography didn't remove painters, like there are still painters and there are photographers and somehow photography is even more automated than ai. So I guess like it's all about, I think, probably, it's not gonna be AI to substitute people, but people using AI is substituting other people.
So I guess like it's going to be like probably the future scenario. But I think also like that it is interesting for us to consider, how important it could be this technology for our industry because we have been always trying to. Be inspired by nature. Architect engineers, designers have been always looking at nature and complex natural phenomena to really be able to find new design inspiration, finding new ideas for structure and new ideas for systems and.
And natural system are very complex. They tend to minimize energy. They tend to minimize to find the [00:08:00] equilibrium condition, and they have a lot of intelligence inside them. We refer always, often to these type of intelligence called warm intelligence or material intelligence, and I think these two forms of intelligence are.
Probably at the same level of AI or they bring a lot of knowledge about the loads of physics. And we have been as a, designers for years and years, like trying to interpret like nature in different ways. And nowadays we are in a very interesting moment of Of the technological evolution, which we actually have the capability to really assimilate some of the system.
For example there is an interesting paper from Alan Touring. One of the basis also of arti, one of the people that had an important contribution in terms of artificial intelligence in which he describes for example, the chemical basis of morphogenesis. So how you can use some differential equation to generate some of the pattern we find in nature.
And this is, for example, one of the algorithms we developed with our students that actually simulates [00:09:00] this this algorithm and actually is able to simulate, for example, Some of these behavior in in natural systems. So you can see, for example how these different parameters within the code that you just said before generate different type of form that simulates something's happening in physical reality.
So is definitely not ai. This is still like an algorithm, it's a mathematical model that describe like a physical behavior. But these are some let's say forms of trying to model the intelligence of natural system and bring them in a digital world. And if you think about this was happening, from centuries great architects like Godin, they were trying to use a build analog model to catch and capture the intelligence of material, the intelligence of nature, and try to transform them in model they can control somehow.
To resolve certain design problems we can think about. For example, they was using like fabrics, soap film to try to simulate this complex system and [00:10:00] find optimal material distribution. Similar is also the work of Otto who was, all people that build a lot of things and they were actually trying to use the material intelligence to solve a problem that are beyond human capability.
We can see, for example, a combination of world threads with the soap that tries to minimize energy on the system. So these things of using like a sort of meta intelligence, let's say, something that goes beyond the human intelligence has been always part of the research of big personalities that nowadays are a reference for all of us we study as a reference.
So when we are really scared about what artificial intelligence can bring, we just should be aware that actually. Much even more powerful intelligence has been trying, to catch, these people have been trying to catch like the intelligence of the nature itself. And nowadays we have many tools like technologies who actually control these and transform this model in algorithm model that It can be adapted and can, let's say try to transform this material intelligence in system that we can adapt in different conditions.[00:11:00]
And we are also the power to transfer this data from the digital world to the physical world. Really like combining algorithmic intelligence with the material intelligence. And also machinery intelligence to try to bring this to simplify our daily problem, like our industry somehow is following the overall pattern that the general industry is following.
As industry evolved, having more and more intelligence machine over time. Nowadays in industry 4.0, we have autonomous fabrication system called also dark factories that are able to produce without human intervention. And if you think about, these things can have a wide application in Architecture that, especially in terms of sustainability and, Adaptive to nature.
I think, there are a lot of possibilities there in an hour in, and if you think about this is a really, like a, we are all now talking about ai, but it's not such New technologies that came out like in one week actually took many years. Like we had the first idea of per that is like this sort of digital neuron, this sort of logical [00:12:00] neuron and I mean in the forties.
And then You had the first application that was actually a physical let's say multi perron from Rosenthal in the fifties or so. We have it took many years to this technology to evolve where it is now in which we. Able to use this sort of a system of a simple let's say logical neuron like the perron, combine multi multilayer perron and start to solve a more complex problem.
A single perron per se can only solve a linear problem, but if you start to combine multiple of these, they can solve multi, more complex and nonlinear problems. And thanks to back propagation and other of these sort of technology that allow to change a parameter in this multi, you can actually have a phenomenon of learning and the machine killer itself and can be trained to resolve certain tasks we have.
Of course when you talk about artificial intelligence, you also need to know that we are touching a very. Umbrella term that, beyond the behind, you know beyond the [00:13:00] term artificial intelligence, there are a lot of different type of technologies so that they, that, fall in these categories.
And also within each one of these, there are a lot of differences. And I think when we are really evaluating, how we use artificial intelligence and how. This can be beneficial for architects, I think is is very important also to consider that there is for example, many different neural networks and every different artificial intelligence can work in a different way.
If you try, for example, to use the link or if you try to work with Turing, The result is completely different because the neural network that is behind is different, and the type of result that we can obtain are different. For example we love working with mid Journey. It's one of the ai we use ultra stable diffusion.
There are many out there. And the interesting thing is that some of the learning process are similar to the learning process that happen also in human beings. So somehow you have a way to actually understand and [00:14:00] interact with AI and try to improve and create a sort of workflow. This is like our typical workflow with ai, where we start with some text input or images input, and we then use some. Keywords or parameter to try to experiment variation of the same design system. And then we give a feedback and we try and improve that option or the other option we like until we arrive to the option we prefer. But it's very similar to what we do also. When we work within a team and we try to test different option and we invest more time in the option we like in a similar way.
Also like we find it interesting because it. Help us to, in our daily work, we really is helping us to do a lot of experimentation in different type of design fields, like from product design, like chairs is or tables or ch staircase or. Even bigger project and it allow us to really quick a thousand of experimentation quickly and help us more company like us to be competitive with the larger firms [00:15:00] that otherwise, somehow democratize the access, to the Profession.
And as you can see of course you need to control it and nothing comes for free. You need to spend a lot of time still, con learning to control it and do several tests, but compared to the time you will need to do these things manually will be very time consuming. And I guess We can see the benefit of applying this technology in our industry that is always very time consuming and with a lot of uncertainty, risk and things that that we need to deal with.
And somehow, like these are different experimentation. We applied, on Architecture facade infrastructure projects. We are testing even on some larger industrial design Your design and these kind of things. And yeah, I guess I hope this gives a shot of like quick introduction, what we are doing, how we are using these technologies, and why we find this interesting.
Stephen Drew: Brilliant. Well done. I'll give you, I'll give you a virtual round applause. I think that's [00:16:00] such a cool intro now. And it sets the scene. So what I was gonna say, Mattia is that you touched upon mid journey. You touched upon chat, G p T, so there's text, there's image as well. Do you see any other ways that like AI.
Could be involved in an Architecture practice. Would it, would
Mattia Santi: Yeah. Yeah. Even for example, even gt, can help for example, one, one one thing that Architect always have to do is try to also implement code algorithms to study, certain geometries or to resolve complex projects. But In many cases, we didn't have time to have a proper training about programming.
So many of us, are actually self-learner and we have to, we know how. Steep is the learning curve when you have to learn things by yourself. So I guess, for example, Chad G PT helps you also to write part of code. And this can be beneficial because it can give you a base, for example, to develop certain [00:17:00] algorithms or certain custom tool that can help your daily.
Working activities, but also it can be interesting to analyze what large dataset, for example, understanding, city behavior or how people behave in a large scale. And, access, extrapolate data that would be difficult to manage by human being.
Stephen Drew: Yeah, said. I appreciate you sharing that Mattia. It's very interesting. Malcolm in the audience says, please post what AI is being used. So it is Mid Journey Chat, G P T. Are those the main ones that you are for playing around with at the moment? Then Mattia in the studio in terms of tools?
Mattia Santi: Yeah, we use mainly like chat gtm e journey. But I also suggest to look at stable diffusion is also open source. So it's definitely very look to look at. And the lead fundamentally is a fork of chat gt. So if you think about is actually a fork of gt. I also know that there are other AI also from fco, et cetera, that will come and other, like pointy for example, they're [00:18:00] trying to generate the 3D model directly.
Stephen Drew: Yeah.
Mattia Santi: so
Stephen Drew: Yeah. Makes sense. I use chat g p T in my business, and we touched upon it earlier, Mattia, because I think there's two things. There's the like in terms of the production of Architecture, then I think that what you talk about makes a lot of sense. But the other bit that I think that where AI is gonna be used much more and can be used really effectively is the back of house of the business in an Architecture profession.
Submitting documents, competition bids, and you gotta write all that stuff. Chap, G P T is really useful for that. It's the mundane stuff. It's also. Enhancing maybe the company policy document. It's all this stuff as well, which I think it actually enables the Architect to focus on the Architecture.
Do you have any thoughts along that as well?
Mattia Santi: Yeah, I totally agree with you. I think [00:19:00] also what would be very interesting is to consider the importance of this technology in terms, for example, of compliance with the regulations or for example, like using this technology to study material behavior or for example, to source products. They can fit better.
Your design, I know that do Domo, if if I remember correctly, is developing an algorithm that helps to choose materials through ai. I think for example, when you choose a product in a house Even just if you want to choose, for example a heater or you just choose Tide, it's like you have thousand of options around you.
And we do discuss with our clients, and of course client always want the best, at the best price that perfectly fits the project. And you always have time constrain and you have not only to satisfy the client, but you also need to satisfy uk regulation in general. All the regulation that require.
So there are so many parameters. Even just behind the selection of a simple element like a heater, for example, the color availability of time [00:20:00] cost IP rating. installation, support structure, dimensions. And it is one element and in a house you have thousand of elements, like in three different pattern you're gonna have three different heaters.
AI can really bring us back to business, I would say, because there are many different type of profession. And I think a Architecture profession is one of those that deals with many different things. That, when you deal with many things, means you need a lot of time. And therefore this time is often like going to reduce the, let's say, profit that your company makes somehow.
No, and this doesn't happen for other, or happen either different way, another. Professions. I cannot speak about other professions because, I have experience other director, I don't want to go beyond my expertise. But I can see that, there are some professions that in the last few years has been really supported by the technologies, be able to look for example too quickly about the laws on, on, on the computer.
Like you really speed up the time for doing certain operations, certain research. And then for us, we were [00:21:00] waiting for something like this. I think, have somebody that, can be a copilot and can help us to really like check clashes or check compliance with regulation checks.
Product availability, I think, really can make our industry competitive again with with the current speed.
Stephen Drew: Really well said. Now, for anyone I've, I reckon there's gonna be a few people in the audience. So I actually put up a poll earlier in this week with t saying how many people have used chat, g, pt, or some form of ai, and I think there was like 30%, 25 to 30% of a thousand people have voted, said that they use it all the time.
25% of people have said that they use it now and then it was like, 45 to 50% of people roughly in those numbers that haven't touched it yet. Now I think that's gonna increase. And we touched upon something earlier as well that the concept that. I don't think, both of us don't think that AI will replace an Architect.
[00:22:00] However, an Architect that uses AI is probably gonna go further or faster than an Architect who doesn't. Now, that's my perception in business. That's just my feeling, and I'll expand upon it after yourself. But do you also agree with that sentiment that an AI enabled Architect is gonna be more productive potentially than one that isn't?
Mattia Santi: Yeah I totally agree. I think, it's like using Beam or using other technology that simplified the, the production of the work. I also agree that, it is not going to be like AI to be able to substitute the active for a simple reason because just talking about our profession, but I think Semia concept can be applied in another profession.
But anyway, As professional, we are decision makers. So fundamentally, if you really think about why people come to us, not really because we build the 3D model, not really because we do auto get drawings and not really about all this because we are decision maker and because these decision makers are based [00:23:00] on interpretation of regulation and interpretation of constraint and try to solve a multi, let's say multi objective optimization problems.
So basically, Somehow it's difficult for an AI to to substitute the responsibility. That is connected with the role of an Architect. So maybe it can help to take decision, it can provide you like different option of material by the end of the day. You want let's say the Architect to be there and provide you the final advice.
For that. That's why, you go for an ACU because otherwise you can go to a shop and you're gonna have somebody gonna provide you thousand different materials and probably even a design for free. And that's it. You already have many that are trying to substitute architects and try to, give the design for free.
Just just to get clients out the door. And I think, design can just AI can just help architects gain back some of those Of that time there would be otherwise, would make us not [00:24:00] competitive in the industry.
Stephen Drew: Yeah, I agree. And I think that, I think it would be naive, dare I say, to think that AI is gonna stay as it is go away. It's gonna get more and more complex. But like you said, AI requires a prompt. And I think that until, until the day that the AI and it's getting fast and smart out outpaces that then, we're still involved.
And what I was gonna say is I agree too. I just, I use it all the time in my business. And actually, I didn't even think I was gonna talk about this, but I'll show you something cuz you've been so cool and you show me the presentation. So I've got something as well on the Architecture Social, which I haven't announced.
Officially, but it's there. Okay. So it's because chat g p t is based upon it. It sucks in thousands and millions and trillions of pages or whatever, up until a certain time point, and g p t, the T in it means transistor, right? So it's taking that information and then it's regurgitating [00:25:00] information.
But I've also, cuz on the Architecture Social website where it's built, I've plugged in. Open ai and also I've plugged in what's embeds. So I'm starting to develop this script and it's public information. So I'll bring it up now and we can test it
Mattia Santi: Very exciting.
Stephen Drew: Yeah, we'll test it live. Let's see if it survives or not.
Oh, I've gone the wrong view. There we go. Okay, so this is at for now, Architecture Social dot com slash gpt, and I've called it a GPT because I don't know, it was popped in my brain. Or you can use the little button everywhere, but you can basically put some stuff in. So the idea is because I open the eye.
If you say who is Allies and Morrison Architects, they might get some information wrong or right, but I've plugged it into the directory. So I'll say, who is Allies and Morrison. Okay. And so in this scenario, it will scan my website. [00:26:00] It will scan the other website and it will bring up more factual information.
I've gotta plug Sassy after this. I'll be on this Matei. I haven't done it yet. We'll plug you in after this, but you'll get a bit more accurate information. If you then said, how do you, maybe something more what is the role of an Architect? Then it's gonna look on My website and it's gonna look online and it'll pick the answer.
Now I can fine tune this over time, but it's starting to give more and more prompts. Now, where it will get really interesting is for example, Now Architecture, cvs and portfolios are incredibly specific and it's something I've done a lot on so if I say how many pages should be, and sorry, I know this is very small text on the screen, but just trust me, I'm typing in
Mattia Santi: Yeah. We can read it.
Stephen Drew: Yeah, we can't read it, but you get the concept.
Mattia Santi: Read it, yeah.
Stephen Drew: you can click the link. How many [00:27:00] pages should be in an Architectural? CV and portfolio, and then it will bring up an answer. Now, if you type that into chat, g p T, it's gonna be less specific. Let's see what it got from my website. So I'll put on the screen what it says.
I might stumped it. Now it's really thinking. Look, so let me see what it
Mattia Santi: This was more complex for him.
Stephen Drew: yeah, this is it. Let's see if it survives or dies. So I've entered this. Where is it going? What's it gonna say? It's really was thinking like it's clocking. Is it working? Maybe we haven't replaced the humans yet. Maybe we have.
Let's see. Is it coming? Looks like it's died. Let's see. It's dy. There you go. Don't worry everyone. The robots are not gonna replace this just yet. try it one
Mattia Santi: This was a [00:28:00] live experiment demonstrated.
Stephen Drew: Yeah. Oh, it's going for this time, so this is what it's gonna say now. Okay, so very quirky software. So it said this time for this answer, it said this let's see it. Oh, I'm hitting the, I'm hitting the limit, but it's given a big answer. Talking about the design portfolio is recommended to keep it concise.
10 to 20 pages is best. So it's now, I reckon it's looked at my information on the website and plugged it in. So it's getting there. It's not perfect because it didn't answer the first time. But it's interesting technology, so I'm gonna leave it there. That's something I've experimented, but and so what that was combining open AI with what's called embeddings and embeddings are basically pages of information from the Architecture Social. That's it.
Mattia Santi: It is very exciting. Like you see, it's really creating a new experience, like that will not be [00:29:00] possible before,
Stephen Drew: yeah, and I
Mattia Santi: if you have a person behind that director social, that answer to every question stays there 24 7.
Stephen Drew: Yeah exactly. I, the interesting bit is like this, AI wants to scoop all this information that would be better than if I hired someone new. And got them in my company to answer the questions. So that's where it gets really scary. However, this robot is, like you said, not yet reliable because it crashed first time and also it couldn't do the advanced functions in my business, like in terms of recruitment.
It couldn't work out, what kind of pro project Architect would be appropriate for Sassy Studios and have a conversation with them. But it's interesting, isn't it? What's your. Thoughts on that example there of scooping in information into the AI for formulas.
Mattia Santi: I find it super exciting. Stephen, I think, it is a very great addition to Architecture, Social and I'm, waiting to [00:30:00] see live for everyone because I think it's gonna be very exciting. And I think I hope to see these applied more and more in a lot of websites because
Stephen Drew: Yeah.
Mattia Santi: I think nowadays, website are, start to be substituting sometimes, the GP or they are, start to be present everywhere.
So the website many times nowadays is a little bit like your interface with the, some decisions sometimes are very important. You when you go, for example, to do a declaration on a government website or when you do. Some important bureaucratic things on some of these websites.
And sometimes you feel a lower in front of technology because there are no people behind this technology. And the technology is not as smart enough to reduce, solve your problem. So either the responses has been pre embedded in the system, or you are basically left with a problem that an operator will need to solve.
In one day today, one week or two, two weeks. If you have ai, this can be resolved in real time. And we just make, the automation, we are supposed to have [00:31:00] much more reliable and much more engaging. And I don't think it's gonna substitute the people because you, maybe you substitute the person that is gonna answer, many.
Many random question, but then you can have the same person you would, you'd be hiring is gonna be there to dedicate more time to the people that really need the more attention or, the sort of engagement that you really want to have with your customers in the future. So I guess there are, there are risks, but there are also potential benefits that, depends a lot how technologies are.
Amen. This also make make a big big difference.
Stephen Drew: Yeah I agree. I was gonna say quickly to the audience, if you wanna ask Mattia a question, now's your time. You, because we are gonna be winding down in a little bit, however, Mattia before, before that, what are you excited about then? At the moment?
Mattia Santi: You, between things we are doing,
Stephen Drew: Yeah. Or anything. Tell me what
Mattia Santi: Yeah, we are definitely excited, about to see [00:32:00] how these generative technologies can transform the Architecture profession. We expect in the next few years to have to expand the business of Architecture from only the physical building to digital buildings as well.
And I think this would really like change also some of the business model of our profession. And I. I'm curious to see how other designers are going to jump into the Metaverse and how the end user are going to really start to value the real estate and really start to understand, how immersive experiences can be more interesting for them than three dimensional website.
And really curious to see how we are gonna pass from the age of the screen to the age of spatial computing. And and How this could open new opportunities for our profession if designers and Architect are able to take this profession because these opportunities, because as you can see other companies like, already Apple or other companies are not related at all with this field.
They are trying to [00:33:00] jump into this field. Although, it is not their original, let's say field of application. But think for example, the new visa that came out from Apple that is gonna. Be available soon. And it is designed to, to make you experience virtual reality for longer hours.
As an example, how every company sees a potential in this evolution of computing, in this special computing and how everyone wants to be in this industry. So I really hope that as a design community, And that's why I'm really happy also to be here today. Let's say we, we will be able, let's say, to come out with some good ideas and with some new business model that are gonna bring our profession in the, let's say in the field of tech and become, competitive player in the tech world.
Stephen Drew: Yeah, said. I have one last question before because we talked about the concept, you talked about some examples really cool stuff, and we've mentioned chat, G P T. Earlier we mentioned like mid journey, but if an [00:34:00] Architect has. Hasn't played around with AI yet. Where do you think is a good starting point for them to get involved Mathia and start experimenting?
Mattia Santi: I think both charge PT and the li are good. The li is very straightforward because you can access through open ai it's very straightforward, but you may find the answers are not very creative. Very straight to the point. If you want something more creative and more, let's say able to evolve more with your thoughts and with your let's say prompt.
I think it is better to start with chat g pt, the, sorry, with mid journey. And I believe is interesting that when you are in a discord, that is basically the social media used to run mid journey. I think it's interesting cuz you have a very vibrant community. And you can learn a lot from other people as well.
So you can see the other prompt, you can see the other results, and I think it really speeds up your learning curve as well. So also Chad g PT is a very good starting point because you can immediately see the advantage of asking question [00:35:00] to ai.
Stephen Drew: Yeah, I agree with you. I think those kind of feel like the one the. The founding, whatever mid journey definitely is the architect's choice right now, for whatever reason. And you're right, chat, g p t, everyone is putting stuff in there. I think the one that will be really disruptive when it comes out which is built on open ai, because Microsoft don't open AI for anyone that's wondering is.
When Microsoft are now gonna bring in basically their, what they're called, like autopilot or co-pilot I think it's called, and they're gonna bring that into Outlook. And I think that will be the big change because how many emails do we do as an Architect in a business every day? Lots. How many emails do you do so much?
It's communication. When open AI is plugged into Outlook, I think it will be an interesting scenario and I wonder whoever, it'll be one [00:36:00] robot. Talking to another robot, it's okay, I need to reply to Mathia co-pilot, tell Mathia that da. And then you go, oh, Steven sent me an email co-pilot send this.
So I think that will be one of the most influential moments potentially, we shall see.
Mattia Santi: Yeah, I agree. Yeah, it's going very exciting to see.
Stephen Drew: I. I think so. But Matea, before we go, I always like to say is there any questions that you'd like to spring on me on the stage? Anything at all?
Mattia Santi: Yeah, I think one question is how do you think Architecture community, is going to embrace these new technologies? Since you're an expert, in this in this field and you really are doing an amazing job in the. We like collect your social and you are building something I think that is very important for our industry.
And what do you think is how, how are, you know our community is ready for this technology? Do you what's your feeling [00:37:00] about that?
Stephen Drew: I'm flattered by your Colemans. What I think is we're gonna have a similar human reaction that I've seen before. Okay. So less about my website, but more about recruitment. Okay. So over the years, I would speak initially when I started recruitment, it was around 2014 and read. It was just about coming into the uk, into Europe, but it had been in certain countries a bit more like Australia was using it much.
Quicker than the uk and what it was is there was a resistance. To use it. Some people are like, ah, no, I know AutoCAD for years, I can't be bothered. And I get that as well because even me sometimes with some tech, I'm like, oh, I've gotta learn a new piece of software and you gotta get through that.
And, but where I'm going with this is that people were resistant to the change. They've going, no, I don't believe in that. I only need AutoCAD. I you need vector eggs. And what's happened is there was a fight there and. Some people were resisting it, some [00:38:00] business owners were resisting it. And the reality is the industry has gone that way anyways.
And that was partly that there was government mandates and all this stuff, but I reckon what's gonna happen Is that there's gonna be a lot of architects which are resistant to using the technology and in this world, I think the ones that are gonna be more efficient, more proficient. And then we might even see in a few years time job descriptions coming out, which actually say, are familiar with certain APIs to do with open ai, especially if anyone's, a computational designer or something, maybe there will be certain things that plug into it.
So I think that the people that are embracing it are gonna get a huge advantage because back in 2014, 2015, if you used to use BIM, the reality is you were the top of the pick. The best companies would just bring you in. And so you'd have a lot of architects come from Australia and who were good at design and because [00:39:00] they had that skill, they would just get the most amazing jobs.
And I think that the Architecture professionals, so the business owners, there's a case for it being more efficient, like we talked about. But the professionals as well. I think people that use it as a tool are gonna have an unfair advantage over those who don't. So I think that's gonna take a few years.
It's not gonna be this year or next year, but the people that are embracing it will be ahead of the curve and have more choice, have more opportunity, if that
Mattia Santi: Yeah, I agree. I totally agree with you. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely.
Stephen Drew: And we can look back at this video and if I'm wrong, I'll, eat my hat or whatever, but I feel like that's the way it's going. And was there any other questions or is that all from you for now before we wind down? You, are you there? [00:40:00] Oh, you there? Are you there? Mattia? I think we've lost You don't know
Mattia Santi: No, I'm here. I'm here. I'm here. No you asked to me. I thought if there were other questions from from the audience. Sorry. I didn't
Stephen Drew: Oh, no
Mattia Santi: No, for me yes. I think this is for me the most most important question to understand, how the community will respond to these.
Yeah.
Stephen Drew: I think we've had a few people quiet. If you've got any other questions, you can get in touch with Mattia. I Mattia, you've been an absolute star and I've had such a good time on this episode. The presentation was cool. I love your work. Now I'm gonna bring up your link, but where can people get in contact with you if they want to say hello or ask questions?
Mattia Santi: They can send me an email. If you look at the presentation at the end of the presentation, the results of the contact in the website, but also if you go the last page of our presentation, there is an email.
Stephen Drew: Here we go.
Mattia Santi: should be the last page. Yeah. So Mathia [00:41:00] santi@sastudio.com and you can drop me an email and I will be happy to have a chat.
Stephen Drew: Okay, brilliant. I'll bring it up on the, oh, there we go. It's perfect. Brilliant. Okay, on that note, I'm gonna end the live stream now. Thank you so much for being here. This has been easily one of my most favorite episodes by far. And oh, we've got some good feedback already. Thank you so much, Malcolm. I really appreciate you being here as well.
Okay, Mattia, stay on the stage now. I'm gonna end the live stream. You stay there, but if you in the audience, thank you so much. I've got some cool good episodes coming up as well. But do drop ti a message and I will see you soon. Take
Mattia Santi: Thank you everyone. Thanks. Thank you.
Stephen Drew: Bye-bye.
