December 11, 2023
GEN ST 297 | Future-ish | Autumn 2023
The Autumn 2023 GEN ST 297 seminar students were both engaged and exploratory this quarter with multiple instances in which extra research was done around the assignments and weekly headline challenges. Hot topics were AI, the arts, and 3D printing.
Seminar Scenarios
The Autumn 2023 seminar students chose to look at the nexus of AI & building construction and materials. The four scenarios of future states for this synthesis are shared below.
Scenario 1. Innovative Green Infrastructures (5-10 years from now). In the next 5 -10 years, leading AI companies will continue to experiment with AI platforms, specifically to improve ‘green’ and sustainable materials and infrastructure for buildings. These AI platforms are used to find new ideas for methods and materials, and humans will work with AI to implement the new findings into current practices. AI is still only used as a tool, rather than being an integral part of a building or structure. Buildings are now more sustainable and eco-friendly.
Scenario 2. A New Chapter for Buildings on Earth and in Space (25-50 years from now). Clients can now ask AI to build homes and commercial buildings for them without having to work with a construction company. AI will design (with the power of 3D printing) and build architecture and buildings more easily and at a lower cost with even large projects coming in under $100,000 for design and build. In most cases, using 3D printing most buildings can be completed within 30 minutes. With Space travel starting to become a reality, new building materials are resistant to radiation. Materials for a large structure are incredibly strong but with the new technology, they weigh less than one pound. This allows activities like agriculture to occur in stations orbiting the Earth.
Scenario 3. Printing the Future (50-100 years from now). In 50-100 years AI will be able to fully build structures using 3D printing. Traditional contracting jobs will be replaced by jobs related to supervising the AI and building the printer. With buildings being printed with computers, buildings will take on an increasing trend to abstract geometric shapes that are personal to clients rather than traditional floorplans and architecture. The most innovative new custom homes will be cheaper to build because all you will need to do is update the CAD before it prints. Space travel has become more ubiquitous, but far travel is not yet convenient. Building materials are sourced not only from Earth, but from the moon and Mars. AI can be used to locate mining sites, pilot spacecraft, etc. in order to acquire these materials.
Scenario 4. Multifunction Structures on Earth and in Space (200+ years from now). We are in the year 2223 and AI is incorporated into all infrastructures on Earth and in space. We use nature from our planet as an example to design efficient buildings and receive power from natural elements. Materials from the moon or other planets we reach will provide a source for 3D printing structures. Buildings – and even the materials in them – are now fully multifunctional, with a few updates to the AI for a given structure, it can be reset for a completely different use. This multifunctional feature is very useful as climate change continues to produce extreme weather events in areas that might not have the infrastructure normally utilized to prepare for these events. No material ever goes to waste, everything is recycled or upcycled. Especially with space travel and dwellings on other moons or planets, resources are likely to be extremely limited.