AI at RBA: Juggling Innovation and Security

It’s difficult to avoid Artificial Intelligence (AI) these days; it pops up on search engines, helps us answer questions on our phones, takes notes in meetings, and even passes us on the road in the form of self-driving cars. But there’s more to this technology than the generative AI that dominates news cycles, and there are new ways to use it in architecture. In fact, AI expertise was ranked as the top hiring priority for the second year in a row in Autodesk’s State of Design and Make 2025, a global study of leaders in the Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operations (AECO), Product Design & Manufacturing (D&M), and Media & Entertainment (M&E) industries. At RBA, we’re researching ways to integrate AI into our work to stay up to date with the latest technological developments without compromising the integrity of our work or the trust of our clients. 

Focused Innovation, Not Blind Adoption 

Last year, RBA created a dedicated Research and Development (R&D) team to find and test innovative technologies within architecture, urban planning, engineering, and construction. They’ve been testing software and programmes, attending AI events, and analysing how AI can fit into our workflow, all while carefully navigating the security and confidentiality risks that come with AI use.  Autodesk found that over half of architecture companies are now having a harder time finding new employees with the right technical skills—an increase from 39% in 2024—yet the willingness for companies to provide digital skills training decreased 16% in the same period. AI is an increasingly important skill, and employees are eager to learn. To stay ahead, we must be willing to explore AI implementation and provide opportunities for our employees to learn. 

Learning from the Industry 

Recently, two members of our AI R&D team, Alline Kane and Alexandra Hurd, attended the AI in Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) Conference. One of their key takeaways was the legislation related to AI that’s already in place, including the Revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EU 2024/1275) and the Data Act (EU 2023/2854). Of particular interest was the Building Act of Finland (751/2023), which requires building permits and their attachments to be submitted as BIM-based models, and the submission of updated as-built models upon construction completion.  

As part of our continuous research efforts, the AI team conducted an internal survey of our Paris office to gauge the sentiment surrounding AI. They found that 93% of employees are interested in participating in AI-focused workshops and pilot programmes and 40% of RBA employees were already familiar with AI in the architecture and building sectors. Additionally, 64% believe that AI can enhance creativity by freeing time for conceptual work—notably by automating repetitive tasks and helping to document regulatory compliance. AI implementation faces challenges, including a learning curve for employee training, the need for goal-oriented integration, concerns about reduced creativity, accuracy issues, copyright compliance, and trust and data privacy worries. Our team is exploring responsible AI applications and only uses internally tested and approved AI on our projects.  

‘We’re not experimenting with AI to follow trends—we’re doing it to shape the future of architectural practice in a way that protects our values, clients, and craft.’

Yvonne McCormack, Digital Coordinator

Looking Ahead 

Demand for AI-trained employees is rapidly increasing. While AI itself won’t close skill gaps (only 9% of architecture firms surveyed by Autodesk filled roles with AI), we must prioritize hiring and developing human AI expertise. Our AI team is developing a comprehensive AI implementation plan, involving leadership briefings, tech assessments, process mapping, and problem identification, all of which will be continuously reviewed. As AI advances, our team is dedicated to responsible and secure integration to enhance design and protect client data, confident in finding ethical, effective solutions. 

Sources: 

• Autodesk State of Design & Make 2024 

• Autodesk State of Design & Make 2025 

• RBA internal AI survey 

• Alline Kane & Alexandra Hurd, notes from AI in AEC Conference 2025