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", "languageSelectorImage": { "imageLarge": "\/content\/dam\/stantec\/images\/Icons\/Map.svg", "altText": " World map" }, "globalRegion": { "name": "Global", "regionTag": "localization:global", "description": "", "languages": [ { "langCode": "en", "name": "English", "pathLink": { "url": "en" }, "active": "true" }, { "langCode": "fr", "name": "Français", "pathLink": { "url": "fr" }, "active": "false" } ] }, "regionLanguages": [ { "regionTag": "localization:china", "name": "China", "description": "", "languages": [ { "langCode": "en", "name": "English", "pathLink": { "url": "cn" }, "active": "false" }, { "langCode": "en", "name": "", "pathLink": { "url": "en" }, "active": "false" } ] }, { "regionTag": "localization:italy", "name": "Italy", "description": "", "languages": [ { "langCode": "it", "name": "Italiano", "pathLink": { "url": "it" }, "active": "false" }, { "langCode": "en", "name": "", "pathLink": { "url": "en" }, "active": "false" } ] }, { "regionTag": "localization:latin\u002Damerica", "name": "Latin America", "description": "", "languages": [ { "langCode": "es", "name": "Español", "pathLink": { "url": "es" }, "active": "false" }, { "langCode": "en", "name": "", "pathLink": { "url": "en" }, "active": "false" } ] }, { "regionTag": "localization:netherlands", "name": "Netherlands", "description": "", "languages": [ { "langCode": "nl", "name": "Nederlands", "pathLink": { "url": "nl" }, "active": "false" }, { "langCode": "en", "name": "", "pathLink": { "url": "en" }, "active": "false" } ] }, { "regionTag": "localization:taiwan", "name": "Taiwan", "description": "", "languages": [ { "langCode": "zh_tw", "name": "繁體中文", "pathLink": { "url": "zh_tw" }, "active": "false" }, { "langCode": "en", "name": "", "pathLink": { "url": "en" }, "active": "false" } ] }, { "regionTag": "localization:turkey", "name": "Turkiye", "description": "", "languages": [ { "langCode": "tr", "name": "Türkçe", "pathLink": { "url": "tr" }, "active": "false" }, { "langCode": "en", "name": "", "pathLink": { "url": "en" }, "active": "false" } ] } ], "originPath": "/content/stantec/en/news-media/2026/ai-is-democratizing-design-automation-aec-industry.html" } }More than ever, engineers, architects, planners, and designers can use AI-supported tools to streamline repetitive tasks, improve workflows, and explore automation without needing deep coding experience. Rather than turning technical professionals into software developers, AI is helping more people apply their expertise in new ways. For skilled and motivated designers, that means quickly prototyping ideas and testing solutions without waiting for a dedicated developer. For everyone else, it means developing a clearer understanding of their problems and how to articulate them.
Design automation is also shifting the conversation from using digital tools to rethinking how work gets done. Many repetitive, manual processes that were once accepted as part of project delivery can now be streamlined through accessible automation workflows, freeing teams up for creative problem solving.
As AI adoption grows, however, organizations need governance frameworks that support quality, consistency, cybersecurity, and responsible use. Centralized digital teams are evolving from solely developing tools to helping guide standards, collaboration, and scalable adoption across the business.
Steven Costa, director of design automation at Stantec, has spent almost 20 years advancing building information modeling (BIM), digital delivery, and design automation strategies. He can speak to:
Learn more about digital initiatives at Stantec and how AI is being responsibly integrated across our services.
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