KUWAIT: The National Council for Culture, Arts, and Letters organized a debate on the role of artificial intelligence in the field of architecture and its effects on the labor market and intellectual property rights. The debate, which was held at the National Library of Kuwait on the occasion of International Architecture Day (the first Monday of October annually), witnessed discussions at five levels between two teams, the first of which included professors of architecture at Kuwait University, Dr Mohammed Al-Ajmi and Dr Rawa Al-Shaheen (two supporters), and engineers Zahra Ashkenani and Aba Salah (two opponents).

The two teams reviewed the first level of the debate, entitled (Rise or Fall) and the extent to which humans accept what is new. In the second level, they reviewed the impact of artificial intelligence on the labor market. In the third debate, they discussed artificial intelligence as a tool that facilitates the work of the designer, while in the fourth, they discussed the creativity of artificial intelligence. The fifth and final debate was about intellectual property in artificial intelligence.

The supporting team stressed the ‘great role’ of artificial intelligence and the need to keep pace with development and enact the necessary legislation to regulate work. He considered that “the current generation prefers to try everything new" and although there were fears at the beginning, they overcome these fears after some time as they become a part of our lives—like the beginning of the internet, which has become mandatory to deal with in our time”. He pointed out that the majority of architecture graduates work in the field.

Artificial intelligence “will not cancel their role but is considered a support tool that reduces the cost, especially since the architectural profession is not threatened with extinction”. As for the opposing team, they argue that artificial intelligence seeks to cancel the role of humans, contributes to the limitation of their thinking, and prevents them from making any effort to complete their work.

He noted that artificial intelligence “is devoid of emotions and does not simulate the psychological aspect, while humans have an important role and should not be replaced by devices”. Professor of Architecture at Kuwait University, Dr Mohammed Al-Ajmi, told the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that a specialized study concluded that by 2029, artificial intelligence will surpass the human mind in all areas.

Al-Ajmi added that artificial intelligence is “a means that serves humans and provides them with comfort, and we will not be able to oppose its existence, and it is necessary to keep up with the development, but we can volunteer it to serve our society”. - KUNA