Adapting Business to an AI – Driven World

The only constant is change. That phrase rings more now than ever for my digital business.  I co-founded one of the first 3D architectural visualization companies in southwest Florida (SWFL) in 2006. Back then our main service was transforming architectural drawings into realistic 3D images and animations. Our clients were amazed to see what their buildings would look like before they were constructed. In 2006 computers and software were slow, expensive, and downright buggy! Now, in 2023, we can create 3D scenes in real time on any laptop anywhere in the world.

Then in late 2022, AI emerged. While artificial intelligence (AI) research in the field had been going on for decades, it was OpenAI who brought ChatGPT to the masses. They now generate over a billion dollars in sales (1). Other programs like Stable Diffusion and Midjourney can use AI to produce any kind of image from just a simple text prompt in seconds. At a minimum it takes at least a week for us to create a 3D architectural scene.

How can we compete with AI? The answer lies in the details. If our clients want a specific item in their image like a piece of furniture, roof tile or kitchen cabinet, they need to use accurate solutions like 3D renderings. Need an animation? While AI solutions like Pika Labs and Runway are making it possible, their animations are still limited and inaccurate. AI also does not solve the biggest issue: solving our clients’ problems. Our calls with potential clients address this issue first before any digital solution is mentioned. Why create visualizations if you cannot solve the problem?

How are we adapting to AI? I am confident AI will radically change how we operate in our digital world within a few years. I am so confident that we are currently developing web apps right now. Our first web app Pcard (2) allows anyone to create AI imagery in seconds and send them out as a digital postcard or printed greeting cards. Our second app is for business professionals who work with buildings, like architects, interior designers, and real estate agents. Both apps are developed by us in SWFL and we meet once a week at a local kava bar to work together. When our second app is finished, it will assist professionals to create conceptual images in real-time with their clients using AI. Then they can use 3D renderings for final presentations and marketing.