This is a guest post by Tevis Holzer, P.E.
One could argue that some skepticism is necessary for engineers to do quality work and protect the safety and welfare of the public, especially when it comes to implementing new practices. As artificial intelligence (AI) continues emerging as a powerful tool throughout the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry, we may naturally hesitate to adopt and trust AI tools and results. After all, no one knows how AI will develop in the long-term future, although it may not need to be treated much differently than current (non-AI) software tools. We shouldn’t let healthy skepticism prevent us from utilizing AI in low-risk applications and developing trust in higher-risk applications. As with any tool we use, design professionals need to accept responsibility for reviewing and validating results. This article discusses ways we can start to build trust with AI solutions in various functions.
Creative Content Generation
The first frontier of AI use in the AEC industry has been on the creative front, particularly in generating content — both text and images — for social media and proposals. As this side of the industry develops further, our focus shifts to trusting that the content being generated is useful, accurate, and unique (i.e., not plagiarized). Luckily, most AI-generated creative content is relatively easy to review or at least similar to traditional review practices. Users can readily identify if the product fits their needs or not. When it comes to generating creative content with AI, consider the following:
- Use AI for inspiration and not as a “plug-and-chug” process.
- Spur progress by using AI for overcoming writer’s block, providing key points, review for grammar, and rewriting for tone or complexity.
- Research and deploy creative content AI tools that only use artists’ content if they “opt-in.”
- Review all AI-created content thoroughly before publishing anything with your name (and reputation) attached.