AI Crafts: Innovation or Data Dilemma?

Hi,

This week, social media feeds were flooded with the viral message “Goodbye Meta AI,” a hoax shared by over 500,000 people, including celebrities. The post falsely claims that users can prevent Meta—parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp—from using their data to train its new AI model, Llama 3.

Despite its alarming tone, the message is misinformation. Meta has flagged many posts and reassured users they can officially opt out of data usage through their account settings, emphasizing the need to understand real mechanisms rather than relying on viral claims.

This is an especially interesting conversation as AI becomes increasingly integrated into our personal and professional spheres. The world of architecture, being in the creative discipline, will be talking about AI tools like Midjourney, ChatGPT's visual AI, Microsoft Design, Adobe Firefly, and AI flooring plan creators changing the way designers and architects work. These technologies allow for unparalleled speed and efficiency: designers are able to conceptualize, iterate, and produce high quality in a fraction of the time.

However, this raises an important question: What about the data and intellectual property of designers? As we integrate AI into our workflows, we’re essentially feeding these systems with our design ideas, sketches, and creative processes. Are we fully aware of how this data is being used, stored, or potentially repurposed by the very AI tools that assist us?

Indeed, these are powerful AI technologies, allowing architects to devise innovative solutions and investigate design possibilities which would have been time-consuming by hand. For example, Midjourney can translate the text of a prompt into an increasingly detailed visual showing an architectural concept. This enables architects to manipulate form and structure in ways unimaginable. Also, tools like Adobe Firefly facilitate the development of digital assets from renderings right through to presentation materials in an easier way to realize the architect's vision.

With AI benefits now crystal clear, we also have to balance that against creative ownership and data privacy, making sure that in leveraging this increasingly sophisticated AI, we do not get just up to speed but with control of our designs.

Best,
Serra