More than half of practices believe AI will lead to staff cuts as adoption soars

The number of practices using AI has jumped by 15% over the past year with more than half of architecture firms now believing the trend will lead to staff reductions across the profession, according to a new RIBA survey.

AI adoption among respondents grew from 59% of practices in 2025 to 74% this year, with three quarters reporting improved productivity and 57% saying the tech had made a positive return on investment.

But fewer than one in six agreed AI had made their designs better, while the survey responses suggested architects still value human judgement and critical thinking as the key component of high-quality design.

And while there is no clear evidence yet of sector-wide staff cuts prompted by AI take-up, concerns over its potential future impact have become well established.

Some 59% of practices now believe adoption will lead to staff reductions across the profession and 61% agree that it will make it harder for early-career professionals to acquire essential skills and experience.

This is because AI increasingly automates tasks that have been traditionally used as training and development opportunities, which in turn could make practices less inclined to recruit junior staff if they believe AI can perform most of this work, according to the survey.

One respondent admitted that outsourcing entry-level tasks to AI could mean that “the fundamental training that young people might otherwise get when they enter the sector becomes increasingly less available to them”. 

The technology has added to a darkening mood among architects with only 21% agreeing that it made them more optimistic about the future of their organisation despite 77% of respondents agreeing that AI can never replace human creativity.

RIBA president, Chris Williamson said the research ”makes it clear that the profession does not see AI as a replacement for human creativity and judgement, which remains at the core of architecture”, adding that professional oversight of design “remains essential if tomorrow’s buildings are going to be safe and sustainable”.

“The research suggests AI adoption is likely to have its greatest (and potentially most detrimental) impact on entry-level and early-career roles. If that proves to be the case, what are the long-term implications for the profession? If fewer people have the opportunity to develop foundational skills through early-career experience, how will practices support the next generation of architects?” Williamson said.

He added that RIBA is committed to ensuring AI is “implemented throughout practices responsibly, while maintaining the creativity, skills, and judgement that are essential to architecture, and UK businesses more widely.”