Today, Toby Griffin, a KBB business consultant, explores the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom (KBB) industry.

So I’m writing an article on Artificial Intelligence in the kitchens and bathrooms industry.  This isn’t my first foray into the topic, though, as in 2013, I penned a piece called Doomsday Scenario in which I – controversially at the time – predicted that AI would eventually replace most of the work done by those on the ‘coal-face’ of lower-priced design and specification; and it has been interesting in the thirteen years since that was published how this prediction has – albeit slowly – started on its journey to fruition.  Despite the deliberately provocative title, the piece ended by highlighting that those in mid-to-higher skilled roles would have nothing to fear from technology.  This, I believe, is still the case today.

So, in bringing it back to the present, this article you are now reading borrows from my decades of KBB experience, a reasonable level of tech-savviness (yes, I’ve checked, this is a word!), and I was recently party to a presentation from Alan Coleman (from Cyncly – KBB CAD specialists) specifically on AI in our sector, from which I have lifted – with his consent – some of that which comes below.  So, with this armoury and with the internet at my fingertips for fact-checking and further research, I’m all ready. 

But something crossed my mind: Why not get Chat GPT to write it?  Or at least give me the basic framework for an article and/or some ideas that maybe I hadn’t thought of?  So I did, and here goes (see if you can spot which paragraphs have been written entirely by AI).

AI is revolutionising industries across the board, and the kitchen and bathroom industry is no exception. From smart appliances to innovative design tools, AI is changing how we design, specify, and handle projects, from our marketing function generating an initial client enquiry to aiding in idea creation and even analysing profitability upon completion. The integration of AI into the kitchen and bathroom industry offers great benefits for companies, people and clients alike.

The first aspect that seems most apparent, and has definitely ‘caught the eye’ in the kitchen and bathroom world, is the ability of AI – only using a few words as prompts – to generate room/space design suggestions, which are often stunning and surprisingly innovative.  Now, there isn’t a single Generative-AI image that I’ve seen yet that recreates entirely as presented; it is a tool that creates multiple ideas and designs that fit a basic brief; it’s already the best now and will only be getting better as it is improved upon via learning. This, though, you could argue, could be a threat to those who work in any creative field, as innovative presentations can be produced in seconds, but – having recommended its use to a client of mine who is an Interior Designer – properly embraced – AI has revolutionised the way she handles first stages with her clients, and has sped up her process.  This moves me on to productivity.

Boosting productivity may not be a sexy topic, but it’s much more interesting than just pleasing the bean counters.  AI’s ability to handle sophisticated but repetitive tasks can remove the parts of a job that take time and are boring.  I, for example, know the importance of properly lighting and dressing a CAD design ready for renders, but hate doing it.  So – and this is very much on the way – CAD companies are beginning to release AI bolt-ons to their systems, which will do both of these for me.  Lovely.  So now I can get on with the parts of the job I most enjoy.  Similarly, if measuring up an existing room is your pet hate, no problem.  AI software is already available, which means that you only need to cast a smartphone’s camera around a room, and it’ll create the room in 3D, complete with measurements.  Of those surveyed, 78% said that AI boosts productivity, leaving them to concentrate on the aspects of their role that they enjoy and are great at.

In the kitchen, AI is particularly evident in the form of smart appliances. Devices like refrigerators, ovens, and dishwashers are now equipped with AI-driven technology, allowing them to learn user preferences and make intelligent adjustments. For instance, smart ovens can recognise the food being cooked and automatically adjust the temperature and cooking time for optimal results. Smart refrigerators can monitor food inventories, track expiration dates, and even suggest recipes based on available ingredients.  Although these are innovations that are probably not needed or wanted by foodies or skilled home cooks, their use in the majority of homes could really take off as the technology improves, and there are significant benefits for those living with restricted abilities, such as those in sheltered housing.

In bathrooms, AI technology is improving convenience, comfort, and energy efficiency, with smart showers and toilets which can be programmed to adjust water temperature and pressure and even play personalised music!  AI-powered mirrors can analyse skin conditions and suggest skincare routines, while lighting systems can be adjusted based on the time of day, improving both functionality and ambience.

For those working on larger developments, where single kitchen or bathroom design choices are repeated across tens or even hundreds of installations, getting these decisions right is crucial.  In this instance, AI is proving outstanding at processing, analysing, and packaging up billions of data inputs to present to specifiers, giving them insight and foresight to help them make choices.  It is also being used in cost estimation, order processing, and regulatory compliance, helping to speed up, improve, and error-check within processes. 

Finally, AI is not just in the hands of us, the professionals.  The general public, and therefore your clients, already have easy access to easy-use, free/cheap AI, and they’re using it.  Surveys suggest that 36% of the UK public have used Generative-AI, and you can bet that those numbers will be significantly higher for people involved in a kitchen or bathroom project.  If you are not already integrating AI into your business’s design and processes, it will be driven by them.

So, we’ve reached the end of the article, and I wonder if you worked out the paragraphs written solely by AI?  In truth, there weren’t any, and that’s the point.  Blending AI with our own knowledge, understanding and unique mind-set is going to be the art, trick, technique going forward.  As Alan Coleman so neatly summarised in his presentation, “AI won’t replace Designers, Designers that work with AI will replace Designers”.  Food for thought.