Design software has automated drafting for years. Two product announcements in 2026 show artificial intelligence (AI) at work on the data behind a drawing: the code requirements, the specifications, and the material list. A 2025 survey shows how far the profession has adopted it.

How many architects use AI

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) published a study on March 11, 2025.1 It found that only 6 percent of the profession regularly use AI for their jobs, and that the most common applications are chatbots, image generators, and grammar and text tools.1 Only 8 percent of firms had implemented AI solutions in their practice, and a further 20 percent were working on it.1

The same study found that nearly all architectural professionals (90 percent) are concerned about inaccurate AI outputs, security, and transparency, among other risks.1 These figures are from early 2025. They are the most recent AIA figures we found.

Codes and specifications in one place

On March 31, 2026, UpCodes launched UpCodes Specifications. The company describes it as “an AI-native solution that connects building codes directly to construction project specifications.”2 It includes a library of approximately 300 specification sections, and automated checks that flag broken links, empty sections, and mismatched jurisdiction references.2 UpCodes says more than 800,000 architecture, engineering, and construction professionals use its compliance platform.2

A specification states the materials and the technical requirements for a project. A link between that document and the code text lets a designer find a conflict before construction starts.

A house as a database

On June 30, 2026, Higharc announced a $95 million funding round led by Insight Partners.3 It also announced an agreement with US LBM, which Higharc describes as the largest private distributor of lumber and building materials in the United States.3

Higharc says its system “generates homes as spatial databases” that capture code requirements, construction standards, and geometry.3 It says builders use the system to automate design, estimating, and sales workflows.3 The company reports that customers cut the time to open a community by 25 to 50 percent.3 That figure is the company’s own.

None of these three sources calls its product agentic.

What this means for a custom home in Louisiana

  • A design tied to its material list gives a steadier estimate. A change to the plan changes the takeoff (the list of material quantities) at the same time.
  • A software code check is a first pass. The parish still reviews the drawings. The flood elevation and the wind load for your lot still govern the design.
  • A rendered image is a picture. The drawings and the specification are what the builder builds from.

We design and build to the parish flood elevation and the Gulf wind load from the start. See our custom homes and new home construction work, or call (985) 255-2435.

  1. American Institute of Architects, press release on the report “Artificial Intelligence Adoption in Architecture Firms: Opportunities & Risks,” March 11, 2025. https://www.aia.org/about-aia/press/new-research-explores-perceptions-and-opportunities-artificial-intelligence ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  2. UpCodes, press release on the launch of UpCodes Specifications, PR Newswire, March 31, 2026. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/upcodes-launches-ai-native-specifications-solution-to-address-growing-compliance-complexity-in-us-construction-302729636.html ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  3. Higharc, “Higharc Raises $95M Series C to Scale AI for Homebuilding,” June 30, 2026. https://www.higharc.com/newsroom/higharc-95m-series-c-for-homebuilding-ai ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎