This exclusive interview with Matthias Hollwich was conducted by Tabish Ali of the Motivational Speakers Agency.

Matthias Hollwich is a smart cities expert, Founder and Principal of HWKN Architecture, and an internationally recognised voice on AI-centred design. His work sits at the intersection of architecture, technology, urban planning and real estate.

Recognised by Fast Company as one of its Top 10 Most Innovative Architects and named among Business Insider’s Top Business Visionaries, Matthias has helped shape major projects across New York, Munich, Miami, Berlin, Riyadh and London. His career includes work with OMA under Rem Koolhaas and Diller + Scofidio, as well as award-winning projects through HWKN.

In this exclusive interview with the AI Speakers Agency, Matthias Hollwich discusses how AI is changing architectural design, how it can simplify real estate development, what other industries can learn from AI-driven design, and why leaders must help direct the technology rather than passively respond to it.

Question 1. How is artificial intelligence changing the way architects research, conceptualise and design built environments?

Matthias Hollwich: “I believe AI is one of the most radical changes the world has seen in decades. I sometimes compare this moment to the emergence of modernism and the Bauhaus movement in Germany, because it touches everything.

“It changes how we search, how we research and how we design. It is a very interesting process and a very interesting future we are moving into, because AI has so many different potentials.”

Question 2. Where do you see AI creating the most practical value for real estate development?

Matthias Hollwich: “It comes down to how we apply it.

“One clear simplification is access to incredible research tools. We can look differently at markets, positioning and design.

“What excites me is the ability to combine research with design, so design becomes less dependent on opinion and more fact-based.”

Question 3. What can other sectors learn from the way architects and designers are using AI?

Matthias Hollwich: “What is novel about AI-driven design is the importance of asking the right questions.

“As designers, we tend to ask different questions from more rational industries. If you are a banker, A and B may lead to C as a number. In architecture, A and B can sometimes lead to D, but that can be interesting and inspiring.

“Other industries can learn from the experiential nature of design. They can also calibrate outcomes differently, because many products and environments are human-centred. We want to understand people better and use AI to bring our products and environments closer to their needs.”

Question 4. What responsibility do designers, developers and business leaders have as AI becomes more embedded in the built environment?

Matthias Hollwich: “I hope audiences take away that we have a choice to make.

“One choice is to use AI for efficiency and rationalisation. The other is to use it to increase quality of life and improve the quality of our environments.

“We are part of that process. It is not just happening to us. We are the directors and conductors in the process.

“That means we have to get involved. We have to engage with technology companies. We may also need to develop our own AI applications to make sure it moves in the right direction.

“For me, this is a call to action: embrace it, explore it and direct it in the right direction.”