ICON, which developed one of the first fully 3D-printed housing developments in the U.S., is taking automation another step further. It recently unveiled what it calls Vitruvius, an AI program that helps consumers design custom homes online and get the plans, making the process cheaper and faster.
Vitruvius can recall every design and possibility it's ever seen, according to Ballard. It has been trained on building codes, building methods and structural engineering, so it understands what's possible.The user starts by typing in a general idea of the type of house they'd like to build.
Vitruvius debuted at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, where both real estate agents and architects tried it out. Real estate agent Gina McAndrews also tried it and said she was impressed by the technology, but expected it would be used more in conjunction with architects, rather than replace them.