10 Must Use AI Tools for Architecture Firms

Introduction
In today's competitive AEC industry, architecture firms are turning to AI-powered software to supercharge productivity and creativity. From AI for architects in early design to Revit automation in documentation, these tools help teams work smarter, not harder. In this post, we highlight 10 must-use AI tools for architecture firms – covering general AI assistants, BIM automation solutions, and design-specific platforms. Each tool offers practical use cases, empowering architects, engineers, and BIM managers to streamline workflows and focus on high-value design work. Let’s dive into the top BIM AI tools and architecture productivity tools transforming practice in 2025.

1. ChatGPT – AI Assistant for Design & Documentation

OpenAI’s ChatGPT has quickly become an indispensable AI assistant across industries – and architecture is no exception. Powered by advanced language models (GPT-4 and beyond), ChatGPT can understand natural language prompts and generate human-like responses. Architecture teams use it for everything from brainstorming design concepts to automating documentation tasks. For instance, ChatGPT can research precedent projects or suggest planning ideas, saving hours of manual googling. It’s also handy for writing content – whether crafting project proposals, translating technical specs into layman’s terms, or even generating code snippets for scripting. In a BIM context, some firms experiment with ChatGPT to “chat” with their BIM data – e.g. asking for a quick area takeoff or a summary of building code requirements.

How architecture firms leverage ChatGPT:

Design Ideation & Research: Architects can ask ChatGPT for precedent examples (e.g. “tall buildings that use timber facades”) or explore space planning queries. The AI returns useful answers with explanations, helping inform early design decisions.

Building Code Q&A: ChatGPT provides quick building code guidance. For example, asking “what are the ADA accessibility requirements for a retail store?” yields a checklist of key points. While not a substitute for code consultants, it’s a fast way to identify compliance issues to research further.

Writing & Documentation: From drafting emails to summarizing meeting notes, ChatGPT assists with routine writing tasks. It can generate specification outlines, project narratives, or building descriptions, which architects can then refine. This frees up time for more complex design work.

By acting as a general-purpose AI for architects, ChatGPT accelerates tedious tasks and provides a creative sounding board. The key is to use it as a smart assistant – double-check critical outputs and combine its speed with your professional judgment. When used wisely, ChatGPT can be a real productivity booster in an architecture firm’s toolkit.

2. ArchiLabs – AI-Powered Revit Automation Platform

ArchiLabs is an emerging AI automation platform designed specifically for architects and BIM managers working in Autodesk Revit. Branded as an “AI co-pilot for Revit,” ArchiLabs lives inside Revit as an add-in, ready to take on the mind-numbing modeling and documentation tasks that eat up your hours. What sets ArchiLabs apart is its flexible interface: you can automate Revit tasks using a visual drag-and-drop interface or simply describe what you need in plain English via a chat prompt. Unlike Dynamo (Revit’s visual scripting tool), ArchiLabs doesn’t require coding or managing complex graphs – the AI figures out the steps for you, no Dynamo needed.

This Revit automation tool shines at chores like sheet creation, tagging, and dimensioning that traditionally take hours. For example, an architect can prompt: “Create sheets for all floor plans and add dimensions to each view,” and ArchiLabs will automatically generate the sheets, place the views, and apply consistent dimensions per your standards. Mundane tasks that once required tedious clicking are done in minutes, with flawless consistency. The platform ensures nothing is missed – every door tagged, every room dimensioned – freeing up teams to focus on actual design.

Key tasks ArchiLabs automates:

Sheet Creation: Instantly generate dozens of Revit sheets (with predefined templates and view placement) for levels or unit types – something that could take hours by hand.

Bulk Tagging: Tag all elements of a certain category (doors, rooms, etc.) across multiple views in seconds, ensuring complete and uniform annotation.

Auto-Dimensioning: Apply consistent dimension strings throughout drawings with one command, following your office standards for spacing and styles.

Beyond these basics, ArchiLabs offers advanced AI-driven nodes for complex workflows. Its library of advanced AI nodes can tackle higher-order tasks that normally require custom scripting. For instance, there are smart nodes to “optimize layout for maximum daylight” or “check egress route code compliance” – operations that would be extremely cumbersome to set up manually. Under the hood, ArchiLabs uses machine learning and clever algorithms to handle these challenges, but to the user it’s just another drag-and-drop component. This means architects can accomplish sophisticated optimizations or QA checks without writing code – simply specify the goal, and the AI works out the procedure. In short, ArchiLabs functions similar to Dynamo in spirit (visual automation workflows) but with far less effort, thanks to AI assistance. For Revit-based firms seeking “BIM automation”, ArchiLabs is a game-changer that drastically cuts down production time. It’s like having an expert BIM assistant who never gets tired of the boring work.

3. Google Gemini – Multimodal AI for AEC Professionals

Google Gemini is Google DeepMind’s latest general-purpose AI model, poised to rival OpenAI’s GPT-series. While not architecture-specific, Gemini’s capabilities make it a valuable tool for architecture firms when integrated into design workflows. Gemini is a multimodal AI – meaning it can understand and generate not just text, but images, audio, code, and more. This broad skillset opens exciting possibilities: architects could potentially feed Gemini an image or sketch of a site and ask for design ideas, or input a zoning diagram and get feedback in plain language. Because it handles text and visuals together, Gemini can bridge the gap between drawings and specifications in a way previous chatbots could not.

Announced in late 2023 as the successor to Google’s PaLM 2 model, Gemini has been introduced in sizes (Nano, Pro, Ultra) to serve different use cases. It’s designed to integrate into Google’s ecosystem, powering tools like Bard and Vertex AI. In practice, this means architecture teams might encounter Gemini through Google’s products: for example, a BIM manager could use a Gemini-powered Google Cloud service to analyze a library of design options, or an architect might leverage Gemini via Google Docs (Duet AI) to generate project reports with context from images or spreadsheets. The model’s multimodal prowess even extends to understanding spatial data – by processing floor plan images or 3D model snapshots alongside text queries, Gemini could assist with data-driven design exploration. Early reports suggest that for data-rich design tasks, Gemini’s “multimodal arsenal” has an edge over text-only assistants.

While still emerging, Gemini is a tool to watch. As Google integrates it into widely used platforms, architects will gain a powerful assistant that can see and hear the design context, not just read it. Whether comparing building massing options or debugging a Python script for Dynamo, Gemini can serve as a versatile AI software for architecture firms looking to leverage cutting-edge tech. It embodies the next generation of AI assistants: proactive, context-aware, and able to juggle the variety of data architects work with daily.

4. Autodesk Forma (Spacemaker) – AI for Early-Stage Site Design

When it comes to AI tools for schematic design and site planning, Autodesk Forma (formerly known as Spacemaker) leads the pack. Forma is Autodesk’s cloud-based platform focused on the early design phase, using AI to help architects and urban designers create and evaluate proposals quickly. Instead of manually testing countless site strategies, users can input basic parameters and let Forma’s generative engine suggest optimal building layouts, orientations, and massings. The AI analyzes factors like sun/shade exposure, wind patterns, noise, and views, giving immediate feedback on each scheme’s performance. In short, Forma acts as an AI assistant for the schematic design phase – automating the heavy lifting of data gathering and analysis that used to take weeks.

For example, an architect can outline a building footprint and height limits, and Forma will generate multiple design options respecting zoning constraints and maximizing qualities like daylight or view corridors. The software can even suggest how to arrange building volumes for optimal energy use or to meet density targets. All of this happens within a collaborative online environment, meaning teams (and even clients) can explore “what-if” scenarios in real time. Because Forma evolved from Spacemaker, it retains a strong focus on site context: you can pull in GIS data, topography, existing buildings, and let the AI optimize the new design within its urban or environmental surroundings.

Crucially, Autodesk Forma connects to downstream BIM tools. Once a promising concept is chosen, it can integrate with Revit (and other Autodesk products) to carry the design into detail development. This creates a continuous digital thread from concept to construction. For BIM managers, that means less rework – the early AI-generated scheme becomes the starting point of your BIM model. By using Forma, architecture firms can save significant time in the conceptual phase and arrive at better-informed designs. It’s particularly useful for feasibility studies, site capacity analysis, and making the case for a project by comparing alternatives. In an era where speed and sustainability matter, Forma’s AI-driven generative design and analysis gives architects a competitive edge in crafting smarter site plans right from the start.

5. TestFit – “AI” Generative Space Planning

For quick feasibility studies and iterative space planning, TestFit has become a go-to tool at architecture and development firms. TestFit isn’t AI in the machine-learning sense, but it uses algorithmic rules and automation so effective that it’s often mentioned alongside AI tools for design. In essence, TestFit is a real-time generative design software for building layouts – especially suited for multifamily apartments, parking layouts, hotels, and other development prototypes. A user inputs basic requirements (site boundary, building height, unit mix, parking ratio, etc.), and TestFit’s solver instantly generates a complete building massing with unit plans, core, parking structure, and even pro forma metrics like unit counts and rentable area. It’s like a supercharged “design calculator” that produces viable schemes in seconds, allowing teams to iterate rapidly.

Architects and developers use TestFit early in projects to answer questions like: How many units can we fit on this parcel? What would an L-shaped vs. U-shaped building yield? The software’s rule-based engine evaluates countless combinations to find an optimal fit. According to industry chatter, TestFit’s algorithm can comply with complex constraints (zoning, efficiency, parking needs) that would take a human team much longer to arrange. It’s even capable of checking basic zoning parameters or site constraints while laying out the building. The result is a fully populated building scheme – not just a massing diagram, but an actual floor plan with units or rooms that meet the input criteria. Of course, the output is a starting point; architects can then refine the TestFit scheme in Revit or other BIM tools. But by automating the grunt work of unit layout and stacking, TestFit lets designers focus on higher-level decisions.

In the context of architecture productivity tools, TestFit occupies a sweet spot: it dramatically speeds up the iterative planning stage without replacing the architect’s judgment. By automating repetitive layout tasks, it enables more exploration in less time. BIM managers also appreciate that TestFit can export to formats that plug into BIM workflows (like Revit or SketchUp), so the “automated” scheme can be turned into a detailed design with minimal re-drawing. While not a neural-network AI, TestFit’s rule-based “automatic layout” is so useful that it’s often considered part of the AI toolkit in architecture. It exemplifies how algorithmic automation can augment human designers – generating complex building layouts at the push of a button, which the team can then evaluate, refine, or even regenerate for comparison. In an era of tight project timelines, a tool like TestFit is invaluable for front-end studies and rapid prototyping of architectural designs.

6. BricsCAD BIM – AI-Enhanced BIM Software

BricsCAD BIM is a building design platform that stands out for integrating AI into the BIM workflow. Produced by Bricsys (now part of Hexagon), BricsCAD BIM offers an alternative to Revit and Archicad, with a focus on leveraging AI to speed up modeling tasks and improve BIM intelligence. One of its hallmark features is AI-driven automation in modeling – for example, BricsCAD can automatically recognize standard building elements in a 3D model (like walls, slabs, windows) even if they were drawn as generic solids, and then convert them into BIM components. This uses machine learning to infer intent from geometry, saving architects the trouble of remodeling elements from scratch. The software also has intelligent tools for tasks like aligning and connecting elements, detecting clashes, or suggesting likely corrections, which feel like an AI “co-designer” helping clean up the model.

According to industry descriptions, “BricsCAD BIM is where AI and BIM converge for a seamless, efficient design process.” In practical terms, this means routine BIM tasks are assisted by the software. For instance, when you import a 2D floor plan or a massing model, BricsCAD’s AI might auto-generate a structured BIM model by identifying rooms, walls and slabs from the geometry. It also includes a feature called BIMify, which with one click can analyze an unclassified 3D model and assign building elements and hierarchical levels to it – essentially automating the BIM setup. Another AI-powered aspect is in its user interface: BricsCAD uses context-sensitive machine learning to suggest the next command or tool you might need, based on your behavior, which can speed up drafting and modeling workflow for power users.

For BIM managers and teams, BricsCAD BIM offers a familiar DWG-based environment with an AI boost. It supports direct modeling (like SketchUp/Rhino) combined with BIM data, and the AI assists in converting conceptual models into data-rich BIM. Firms have found it useful for fast conceptual-to-DD phase work, especially if they want to maintain compatibility with DWG workflows. Moreover, BricsCAD’s approach to AI is very practical – it’s about automating the boring bits of BIM. By introducing intelligent suggestions and auto-classification, it reduces errors and tedium. In summary, BricsCAD BIM is a robust BIM platform that differentiates itself by baking in AI features to enhance productivity. As one review put it, it “amplifies the capabilities of BIM by introducing AI, creating a nexus of innovation and practicality.” For architecture firms exploring alternatives or augmentations to their BIM toolkit, BricsCAD BIM is certainly worth a look.

7. Maket.ai – Generative Design Option Exploration

Maket.ai is a cutting-edge generative design platform tailored for architects, offering a way to quickly explore thousands of design options using AI. The premise behind Maket is straightforward: architects input their project parameters and preferences, and the AI produces a multitude of feasible design solutions in minutes. This goes beyond simple shape grammar – Maket.ai employs advanced pattern recognition algorithms to understand the design problem and generate diverse schemes that meet the criteria. It’s like having a tireless junior designer who can crank out endless iterations for you to consider.

For example, imagine you’re laying out a residential development with certain site constraints, unit mix requirements, and energy goals. With Maket, you could set those constraints (site boundaries, number of units, target built area, etc.), and the system will unleash a swarm of design variations: different site layouts, building configurations, unit arrangements, and so on. According to one description, Maket can produce “thousands of design options in a matter of minutes”, allowing architects to focus more on evaluating creative ideas rather than drafting each option manually. The AI ensures that each option respects the input criteria, so every generated scheme is viable to some degree. This kind of generative exploration is extremely valuable in early project stages – it helps teams avoid tunnel vision by revealing solutions they might not have conceived on their own.

Maket.ai also emphasizes ease of use. It’s built to be accessible even for those without coding or computational design expertise. The interface usually allows you to tweak parameters with sliders or simple inputs, and then you hit “generate” and watch the magic happen. The platform may also offer analytics on each option – for instance, highlighting which scheme has the best daylight, or which maximizes units with a given open space ratio. By automating the heavy lifting of option generation, Maket enables a kind of design A/B testing at scale. Instead of manually drawing 3 or 4 options for a client, an architect can leverage Maket to consider 50 or 100 options, then present the top few that meet the project goals. In a sense, it democratizes generative design: you don’t need a custom Grasshopper script or in-house algorithm – the AI handles it for you.

In practice, tools like Maket.ai are part of a new wave of AI-driven conceptual design aids. They don’t replace the architect’s intuition or final decision-making, but they provide a rich menu of choices drawn from a vast solution space. By seeing what’s possible early on, architects can make more informed decisions and often find better-performing designs. Maket is especially useful for residential planning (its website highlights home and renovation projects), but the concept applies broadly. As a AI software for architecture, it exemplifies how generative AI can augment the creative process – doing the repetitive legwork of scheme generation so architects can spend more time on evaluation, refinement, and client discussions.

8. Midjourney – AI Image Generation for Conceptual Visualization

Communicating the look and feel of a design is a huge part of architecture – and Midjourney has emerged as a favorite tool for creating conceptual visuals via AI. Midjourney is a generative image model (accessible through a Discord interface) that transforms text prompts into vivid, often stunning images. Architects and designers have embraced Midjourney for its ability to quickly produce concept art, mood images, and even realistic renderings of unbuilt designs. The process is simple: you type a description of the scene or design you envision (e.g. “modern atrium with glass roof, dappled sunlight, and indoor trees, watercolor style”), and Midjourney “paints” it out for you. The results can serve as inspiration or as polished graphics for client presentations and design reviews.

What makes Midjourney particularly useful is the quality and creativity of the images it generates. It’s not a rigid CAD renderer; instead, it’s more like having a digital artist on call. Architects use Midjourney in concept design to explore different styles, materials, and atmospheres before anything is formally modeled. For instance, you might generate a series of façade studies by prompting Midjourney with different material or pattern descriptions. Or you could produce a concept sketch of an interior space to capture an ambiance (dramatic lighting, color tone, etc.) to guide your real design. The AI often introduces visual ideas you may not have considered, sparking creativity. As one description put it, Midjourney provides “an infinite canvas” for architects’ creativity by weaving photorealistic images from text prompts. The output is typically high resolution and detailed, which helps in communicating complex ideas effectively. It’s like having a virtual artist who can quickly visualize your words into compelling imagery.

Midjourney and similar AI image generation tools also speed up the visualization process. Instead of spending days in Photoshop or 3D software to create an early concept rendering, you can get a decent image in minutes and iterate rapidly. Need to see how a brick facade might look on a rainy evening? Prompt the AI and you’ll have a mood image almost instantly. Of course, the images aren’t technically accurate to a BIM model – they are approximations and artistic interpretations. But for many stages of design, that’s perfectly fine. In client meetings or team brainstorming, Midjourney images can convey the intent and emotional impact of a design option without requiring a full render. They can also be used to generate background scenes, entourage (like people or trees in particular styles), or even material texture ideas.

Architecture firms are incorporating Midjourney into their workflow as a rapid visualization and iteration tool. It’s worth noting that careful prompt crafting is key – the more specific and clear your prompt, the closer the AI’s output will align with your vision. Some architects even develop prompt “templates” to consistently produce images in a certain graphic style that matches their brand. Overall, Midjourney has become a must-use AI tool because it dramatically compresses the time between imagining a concept and seeing it. In an industry where visual communication is paramount, that capability is pure gold.

9. Veras – AI-Driven Visualization from BIM Models

While Midjourney works from scratch via text, Veras is an AI tool that works with your actual BIM or 3D model to create visualizations. Developed by EvolveLab (and now associated with Chaos, the makers of V-Ray), Veras is a plugin that uses AI image generation on top of CAD/BIM geometry. The idea is ingenious: you select a view or scene from your Revit, SketchUp, or Rhino model, and Veras feeds that geometry to a generative AI which then produces a high-quality render or conceptual image based on a style prompt. It’s like an AI rendering assistant that takes your plain model and “paints” over it in the style you desire – whether that’s a realistic watercolor, a night-time photoreal render, or a specific artistic vibe.

Veras leverages diffusion models (similar to Stable Diffusion or Midjourney under the hood) but grounds them in the project’s geometry. This means the output image respects the building’s form and context from the model – walls, windows, and other elements will appear where they should – but it embellishes them with texture, lighting, and detail according to the prompt. For example, if you have a Revit model of a house and you want a quick concept render, you can use Veras to generate an image like “sunset view of the house with realistic lighting and material reflections.” The AI will produce an image of your house model with the requested lighting mood, possibly adding environment context like sky and landscape automatically. Need a different style? Change the prompt to “pencil sketch” or “1940s photograph” and get a new image. This allows architects to rapidly iterate presentation visuals without manual rendering labor.

One of the biggest advantages of Veras is speed. Traditional high-quality rendering can take hours to set up materials, lights, and then more time to render. With Veras, you can get an impressive image in a few minutes, suitable for early design phases or client discussions. It’s not meant to fully replace detailed renderings (especially if you need exact material fidelity or lighting accuracy), but it’s an amazing tool for concept development. According to Chaos/EvolveLab, Veras “uses diffusion-based machine learning to turn geometric models into detailed images” with just a few clicks. It effectively bridges BIM and AI: your BIM model provides the spatial truth, and the AI provides the visual polish.

For BIM managers, Veras also fits nicely into design workflows since it plugs into familiar software. There’s a Revit add-in, for instance, so architects can generate AI renders directly from a Revit view. This lowers the barrier to creating multiple design alternatives – you could model a quick massing, and use Veras to see it as a glass tower, a brick building, a timber facade, etc., just by changing the prompt. The experimentation is endless and far faster than traditional methods. Additionally, because Veras is supported by Chaos, it aligns with the direction of mainstream rendering tools embracing AI. In sum, Veras is a must-use tool for its ability to turbocharge architectural visualization: it gives architects the power of instant imagery while keeping the design rooted in the actual geometry of their BIM models. It’s like having a renderer that can keep up with your imagination in real-time.

10. ClickUp AI – Project Management Assistance for Architects

Not all AI tools for architecture focus on design – some help run the business side of architecture. ClickUp is a popular project management platform, and its built-in AI features (branded as ClickUp AI or “ClickUp Brain”) can be a boon for architecture firms managing complex projects. In architecture, project management involves handling countless emails, meeting notes, schedules, and task lists. ClickUp’s AI assistant helps automate and streamline these administrative and coordination tasks. For example, it can summarize meeting minutes, draft responses, or generate to-do lists from a conversation. Instead of manually writing up a summary after a long design meeting, a BIM manager could use the AI to get a first draft and then refine it. ClickUp AI also can assist in writing project reports or compiling status updates by pulling information from your task boards and documents.

One particularly useful feature is the ability to connect context across the project. Since ClickUp already contains your tasks, documents, and communications, the AI can “see” this information to answer questions like “What’s the next deadline for the John Doe project?” or “Summarize all open RFI tasks assigned to me this week.” In essence, it serves as an AI project manager’s assistant, surfacing relevant information and drafting content so that human project managers can make quick decisions. According to ClickUp, the AI can “instantly summarize articles and connect your tasks, docs, people, and more, streamlining your workflow like never before.” For an architecture firm, that might translate to automatically parsing an email from a client and updating the project task list, or generating a project brief based on a kickoff meeting agenda.

Beyond text generation, AI in project management tools can also analyze productivity data. Some platforms (including ClickUp) use AI to predict task timelines or flag projects that may be at risk of delay based on patterns. While those features are still evolving, they hint at a future where the PM software not only tracks your work but also intelligently advises you – for instance, warning that permitting tasks often take longer than scheduled based on past data, or suggesting who on the team is free to tackle a new issue.

For now, the immediate benefits of ClickUp’s AI for architects are in reducing manual overhead. It’s like having a junior project coordinator who never sleeps: taking notes, organizing information, and even preparing draft communications. Architecture projects have many moving parts, and an AI that keeps things organized can save a lot of time. Importantly, these internal links between tasks and knowledge (when aided by AI) help ensure nothing falls through the cracks during hectic phases. Whether you use ClickUp or another platform, leveraging an AI assistant in project management allows architecture firms to spend less time on paperwork and more on designing and coordinating the actual buildings.

Conclusion

The rise of AI in architecture is not about replacing architects – it’s about empowering them. The 10 AI tools covered above illustrate how different facets of an architecture firm’s workflow can be enhanced by intelligent automation and assistance. From generative design platforms that produce innovative concepts in minutes, to Revit automation solutions that eliminate BIM drudgery, and visualization tools that bring ideas to life with minimal effort, AI is enabling architects and BIM managers to reclaim their time for what really matters: creative problem-solving and design innovation. Even in project management and documentation, AI for architects serves as a tireless assistant, improving accuracy and saving valuable hours.

Adopting these tools can give firms a competitive edge. Imagine delivering projects faster, with fewer errors, and exploring more design options from the outset – that’s the promise of AI when implemented thoughtfully. Of course, success with these tools requires learning and adaptation. BIM managers should pilot new workflows, train staff on best practices, and maintain quality control over AI-generated outputs. But the learning curve is quickly outweighed by the benefits, as evidenced by the growing number of firms already using BIM AI tools in production. In 2025, AI in architecture has moved from buzzword to real-world necessity.

As you consider these architecture productivity tools, start with one or two that address your team’s biggest pain points – be it automating Revit tasks, generating concept visuals, or speeding up feasibility studies. Build some early wins, and then expand your AI toolkit from there. The tools we’ve discussed are continually evolving, and staying updated on their capabilities will ensure you get the most out of them. Ultimately, embracing AI in your practice isn’t just about efficiency; it’s about opening new frontiers of possibility in design. With mundane tasks handled by “smart” software, architects can focus on crafting better buildings and spaces. The future of architectural practice is here, and it’s augmented by the intelligence of our tools – a future where we all work smarter, not harder.