Panel at Trimble SketchUp talk in San Diego argues AI must not replace human judgment in architecture

At a talk hosted by Trimble SketchUp and Dezeen during AIA in San Diego, a panel of architects and industry leaders argued that artificial intelligence should complement rather than replace human creativity in architecture. The event, titled 'The Productive Architect: How AI is Changing Our Approach to Design,' took place on June 11 at the Skybox at DiamondView Tower. Moderated by Dezeen co-CEO Benedict Hobson, the panel included Perkins Eastman design principal Omar Calderon Santiago, Kestrel Labs chief industry officer Marissa Ritchin, and SketchUp senior vice president Christopher Cronin. Calderon Santiago emphasized that architecture is fundamentally a human endeavor and cautioned against the speed of AI leading to shallow work, advocating for hand sketches as a starting point. Ritchin highlighted AI's potential to automate repetitive tasks like code compliance, freeing architects for storytelling. Cronin discussed the rapid pace of AI development and the need for nimbleness, citing the SketchUp Connector for Claude as an example of AI-driven 3D model generation. The panel collectively stressed that human judgment, lived experience, and storytelling must remain central to design.