If everything continues as it has been, the 2020s will be remembered, in part, as the decade of artificial intelligence (AI). Its omnipresence in public discourse since the end of 2022 and its rapid penetration into multiple industries cannot be ignored. The case of the architecture, engineering, construction and operations sector, known by the acronym AECO, is no exception: according to the Autodesk State of Design and Make 2025 report, 68% of leaders in this field believe that AI will serve as a boost. However, 46% believe it will contribute to its destabilisation.

But how is this technology already being used in the sector? “Generative AI is already being used extensively to generate images or videos”, says architect David Andrés León, who specialises in research and development of digital tools for AECO and is the director of the Master’s in Advanced Computing for Architecture and Design (MaCAD) at the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC). “It is the low-hanging fruit, the most affordable for everyone, because it is very easy and does not require much technical investment; you can use the tools already developed by large companies”, he explains.

These visualisations, which previously required a lot of time, energy, and money, can now be generated quickly with a prompt. “Before, it took several weeks or a month”, he says. In addition, AI is already being used quite affordably to recognise images or data, to generate plans or documentation. “It’s more for the logistical side of construction. It helps to understand schedules and logistical processes,” the expert says.

A complete representation: the real potential of AI in architecture

Beyond this more basic use that is already taking place, the question arises of how far it can go, what artificial intelligence promises that could truly represent a revolution in the sector. This was the subject of David Andrés León’s presentation at the International Forum on Wood Construction held in early June 2026. “From my point of view, the most promising future of AI in architecture, or in AECO in general, would be to find a way of representing the building that AI can process as if it were images or text. Thus, the AI ​​would have a tangible perception of the entire project in all its complexity, not just the visual or logistical aspects. It would include all aspects: the geometric part, the structural part, the installation part…”, he explains.

In practical terms, this would mean that it would be much easier to analyse a project in its entirety. “It’s very complex, with many actors and many parts”, the expert points out. If that AI-readable total representation could be achieved, more direct access paths to the project could be created. “Through a chatbot, for example, we could converse and find out concretely what we would like about the building. It would be like a shortcut for this more analytical part. You usually need specific software, which is sometimes very complicated and expensive. This would allow anyone without much technical knowledge to access the various complexities of the project”, he explains.

Also in the generative part, which is now used for visualisations, something comprehensive could be achieved: proposing buildings with their different characteristics, so that AI becomes “a co-pilot with the design, construction or engineering profiles”.

Regarding the inevitable criticism that arises when talking about leaving something in the hands of AI, the expert believes that AECO will never reach that point of completely relinquishing control. “There is a very big responsibility issue; there will always be someone who signs off on the project”, he reflects. For this reason, there is no need to fear the arrival of this technology in the sector. “I don’t think we should feel intimidated or threatened. Quite the opposite: it empowers us”.