DATA ON YOUR OWN DEVICE: When Data Checks In, But Can Never Leave The Mirage of Interoperability In the evolving landscape of digital twins and smart cities, a critical issue often lurks beneath the surface: the illusion of interoperability. "A lot of vendors are presenting their systems as interoperable when, in fact, they're not. They're only interoperable within their own ecosystem." Amir Hirsch made this statement in the thought-provoking podcast on Smart City Networks, succinctly capturing a widespread challenge in our journey towards truly smart cities. In other words, they are closed. Just Prisoners in the Hotel: The Lock-In Dilemma It's a common scenario: a vendor promises a solution that seems to play well with others, but in reality, it's designed to keep you within their ecosystem – a digital version of 'Hotel California' where we are all just prisoners here of our own device. This proprietary approach stifles innovation and burdens cities with systems that can't adapt to changing needs or integrate new, more efficient technologies. Digital Twins: Beyond Pipes and Pumps My work focuses on BIM and digital twins as replicas of physical assets and as complex systems encompassing tangible and intangible elements. Take, for example, a city's water system. It's not just about pipes and pumps; it's also about regulations, usage patterns, and environmental impact. Digital twins must allow these multifaceted aspects to enhance decision-making and asset management. Governance for Open Solutions Cities and owners hold significant power in their procurement decisions. Demand real interoperability and open standards and make these non-negotiable parts of contracts with vendors. Cities can steer the market towards more open, adaptable solutions. It's about setting the rules of the game in favor of long-term flexibility and public good. BIM and Digital Twins at NIBS As part of the BIM and Digital Twins subcommittee for the National Institute of Building Sciences, I'm involved in crafting a position paper that delves deeper into these issues. This upcoming paper aims to provide actionable insights and guidelines to navigate the complexities of digital twins in smart city environments. Be on the lookout for this draft this Spring 2024. Past Insights to Present Realities In a recent post titled Building Hallucinations, we discussed the transformative yet challenging world of AI in the AECO industry. The journey from AI-induced 'hallucinations' to informed decisions mirrors our current need for interoperability in digital twins. Just as we recognized the need to navigate through the fog of misleading AI promises to reach informed, data-driven decisions, we now face a similar challenge in escaping the 'Hotel California' of proprietary systems. This pursuit of openness and clarity in AI and digital twins underscores our industry's commitment to innovation grounded in reality, not illusion. Breaking Free: The Imperative of True Interoperability Revisiting the initial quote, it's clear that true interoperability is more than a vendor's promise; it's a foundational requirement for sustainable, informed environments. For a deeper dive into these topics, I invite you to follow past and upcoming events at: Enjoy the music!The Kodak Moment with AIIn a world where technology advances at breakneck speed, the building industry has often lagged, especially when juxtaposed with sectors like manufacturing. While others have embraced change, the building industry is content with the status quo. Reports from McKinsey and others paint a picture of an industry at the bottom of the pack regarding technological maturity. What was once a technical discussion relegated to technologists has become a strategic business imperative fueled by leadership because Artificial Intelligence allows the industry to improve productivity and profitability dramatically.
Challenges and Roadblocks Fragmentation, competition, and a lack of unified standards have long been the Achilles' heel of the building industry. The development of Building Information Modeling (BIM) exemplifies these struggles. Despite its potential, BIM has faced a decades-long journey toward widespread acceptance, hindered by perceived complexities, implementation costs, and lack of governance. This sector, crucial to our everyday lives, has a significant environmental impact and has yet to mature. These factors have impeded progress and stifled innovation, keeping the industry several steps behind its technological potential. A Pandemic-Induced Paradigm Shift The COVID-19 pandemic, however, has been a harsh but necessary wake-up call. Cities like San Francisco and Washington, DC, have transformed, with once-bustling offices now empty. This new reality has left owners and operators grappling with vast expanses of unused space, directly hitting their bottom lines. This shift has altered cityscapes and forced a rethink of how we use and value our built environment. The Artificial Intelligence Jolt In this landscape of uncertainty and change, artificial intelligence has emerged as a beacon of hope. 92% of Fortune 500 companies are already using ChatGPT and AI. This mirrors a broader trend across industries, where AI is no longer a futuristic concept but a present-day tool driving business strategies. Real estate is beginning to realize the untapped potential in its vast data reserves. This awakening has reached corporate leadership, with C-suite executives demanding data readiness for AI integration. This is the best reason in decades to bring data standards, architecture, and governance to the forefront. Ironically, humans need quality data to make decisions, but what we could not achieve in decades only took a few months for AI to drive that need home. What was once a discussion relegated to technologists has become a strategic business imperative fueled by leadership demands. Leadership Opportunity This is a building industry company's "Kodak Moment." The cautionary tale of Kodak, which missed its chance to lead the digital revolution, is a stark reminder of what's at stake. We stand at a pivotal juncture where embracing AI can catapult a company into a new era of innovation and efficiency if organizational top leaders acknowledge it. At the recent Coretech Buildings AI conference in Palo Alto, CA, we heard that organizations must "snap out" of complacency and respond. It's not just about adopting AI; it's about revolutionizing the approach to data, standards, and collaboration. We must not use fear of AI or hallucinations to cloud our resolve to change; that is so early in 2023! Data as an Asset for Humans and AI As leaders navigate this Kodak moment, their choices will shape the building industry's future. Will we adapt and thrive in the age of AI, or will we fear the future and cling to outdated practices and be left behind? The rise of AI in managing the lifecycle of facilities is not just a possibility—it's a necessity. We need open data, standards, data governance, and a collective push toward innovation. This is a call to action for the entire industry: rapidly pivoting, adapting, and leading in this new digital era. If we do not, who will? Maybe AI? The question is not if the building industry companies will evolve with AI but which companies will survive and fade into obscurity. Our proactive engagement in this transformation will dictate our place in the future landscape. BIMStorm AI Join us in upcoming BIMStorm sessions for insights and practical strategies into BIM, Digital Twins, and AI. Kimon Onuma, FAIA Over the centuries, architecture has been an interplay of artistry and technology. From Brunelleschi's rediscovery of linear perspective that revolutionized our understanding of space to the advent of CAD and BIM, we've seen our field morph and adapt with technology. Today, our challenge lies in bridging Architectural Intelligence with Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create informed, resilient environments that respond to evolving human and ecological needs. Our cities and buildings are becoming increasingly complex, and AI can be a mechanism to help guide and navigate through the complexity. Yet, as with any technological innovation, apprehensions abound. Some fear the 'death of drawing,' a concern echoed by David Ross Scheer in his thought-provoking "The Death of Drawing: Architecture in the Age of Simulation." Others fear the more drastic 'death of architecture.' However, as Brunelleschi's discovery didn't result in the 'death' of 2D representation, the transition to dynamic simulations and AI doesn't signify the end of architecture but a transformative phase. Avoiding the feared 'death of architecture' isn't about resisting AI but understanding and proactively integrating it into our processes. AI is not a replacement for human architects but a tool that can augment our capabilities, freeing us from repetitive tasks to focus on design and innovation. AI can help us navigate the flood of data produced during building design, construction, and operation, leading to more informed and effective decisions. At the recently concluded AIA conference, A'23, in San Francisco, I observed a disappointing scarcity of sessions dedicated to AI's role in architecture. This shows a clear gap between the rapid advancement of technology and its adoption in our field. We must address this gap through continuous learning and proactive discussions. In this spirit, I presented in a webinar parallel to A'23, hosted by USC for the BIM BOP, titled "BIMStorm Ai: AIA, a Charrette for Architects and Machines." The session focused on exploring the collaboration between architects and AI, which needs more attention in our industry. In our journey through this era of rapid technological change, it's vital to recognize the double-edged nature of AI. While it has the potential to revolutionize our practice by enhancing our designs and contributing to the creation of enduring built environments, unregulated or uninformed use of AI could pose a threat not only to our profession but to humanity at large.
These fears are not unfounded. Voices from within the media and AI development circles have been raising valid concerns about the potential misuse of AI. We, as architects, must not overlook these warnings. AI is a powerful tool, and like all tools, its impact hinges on how it is wielded. In the architecture domain—encompassing buildings, cities, and infrastructure—it is our responsibility to integrate AI and guide its use positively and ethically. This task goes beyond merely supporting our practice and industry. It's about stewardship, about using our expertise to ensure that AI serves the public good and contributes to human-centered, sustainably built environments. Failure to proactively define the use of AI in architecture could result in a passive acceptance of a future defined by those outside our profession—a lot that might not align with our values or the needs of society. The future of architecture, and indeed of our cities and communities, relies on our willingness to engage with AI, understand its implications, and guide its deployment to ensure a harmonious, sustainable, and human-focused built environment. Let's regard this not as a burden but as an opportunity to shape a better future. I invite you to join in this journey to learn, innovate, and chart a course forward in tandem with technology. Together, we can ensure that AI is a constructive tool rather than a destructive force in architecture. As always, I welcome your thoughts, experiences, and participation in the ongoing BIMStorm AI. Kimon Onuma, FAIA |
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