one of my most optimistic AI predictions is that it will allow us to build beautifully again. the reason so much old architecture was beautiful is that construction was organized around craftsmanship, and people expected buildings to be beautiful. stone, wood, and brick already had to be shaped and placed by hand, so the workers, tools, and supply chains capable of adding detail were built into the process. then the 20th century changed the economics. cities needed huge amounts of housing fast, skilled labor became expensive, and construction shifted toward standardized plans and mass-produced parts. every unique arch, window, or facade became an expensive exception requiring custom drawings, parts, specialists, and time. so the cheapest building became a simple box that was easy to repeat. i mean just look at any modern skyline. it’s the same ugly glass skyscraper repeated from city to city, with very little detail, local character, or differentiation. which explains why historic neighborhoods are still among the most sought-after parts of so many cities. isn’t that backwards? if the future is better, shouldn’t the newest neighborhoods be the ones everyone dreams of living in?? i think AI and robotics will finally reverse the economics. > AI will make beautiful buildings cheap to design and engineer. > robotics will make them cheap to physically build. and the cost difference between a plain box and a detailed facade will collapse. (the bricklaying robots below are an early version of this) you've already seen the digital version of this. building a beautiful website used to require expensive designers and developers. now one person can vibe one in an hour with AI. the same will happen with buildings. people just need to care about beauty again.