Making AI Rendering Accessible

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming industries across the globe, and architecture is no exception. From generative design tools to automated modelling systems, AI is beginning to reshape how architects develop, test and present their ideas. One area seeing particularly rapid innovation is architectural rendering – the process of creating photorealistic images from drawings, sketches and 3D models.

Traditionally, rendering has been a time-consuming and expensive part of the architectural workflow. Producing high-quality visualisations typically requires specialised software, powerful computing hardware and hours of processing time. For many smaller studios or independent architects, these requirements create barriers that limit access to professional-grade visualisation tools.

AI-driven rendering tools are now beginning to change this dynamic. By using cloud-based AI models, architects can generate visualisations in seconds instead of hours, dramatically reducing costs and improving efficiency. Among the entrepreneurs working to make this technology accessible is Kacper Staniul, Chief Executive Officer of an AI rendering platform designed to simplify architectural visualisation, MyArchitectAI.

Spotting the Opportunity for AI Rendering
The company’s origins trace back to the early wave of breakthroughs in generative AI models that could produce images from text prompts or sketches. As the technology developed rapidly, Staniul and his team recognised its potential to solve a longstanding problem within the architectural profession.

“In early 2023, we were watching the new AI models closely. Generating images from sketches and drawings was an obvious thing to try. We talked to a few architect friends and they told us how painful rendering was – expensive software, expensive hardware, hours of waiting for one image. AI could do it in seconds, in a browser. The quality back then wasn’t great, but architects were already impressed enough to use it. Our aim was to make photorealistic rendering available to any architect and designer in the world.”

Rendering plays an essential role in architecture because it allows designers to communicate their ideas clearly to clients, investors and stakeholders. Photorealistic visuals help bring projects to life long before construction begins, making it easier to evaluate design choices and secure approvals.

However, producing those images traditionally required specialist tools and technical expertise. By harnessing AI, the goal was to make this process dramatically faster and more accessible.

Unexpected Challenges Along the Way
While the initial concept seemed straightforward, building a tool that architects could easily use proved more complicated than expected.

One of the biggest surprises came from understanding how users interacted with the technology. Despite being highly skilled with complex design software, many architects struggled with the new workflow required for AI tools.

“Architects and interior designers turned out to be far less comfortable with new software than we assumed. Which, considering they use complex 3D modeling tools on a daily basis, was not what we expected at all. We thought our tool was intuitive, but users still struggled to get good results. The other challenge came later, as AI kept advancing and getting more mainstream attention. Users started expecting AI to be a magic solution that could do anything perfectly on the first try. Their expectations were growing faster than the technology itself, and that gap became one of our biggest challenges.”

This gap between expectation and reality has become a common challenge across the rapidly evolving AI sector. As generative tools receive widespread media attention, users often expect flawless results with minimal effort. In practice, AI models still require well-structured inputs and some degree of experimentation to achieve the best outcomes.

Building a Product Around User Education
Faced with these challenges, the team realised that improving the technology alone would not solve the problem. Instead, they needed to focus on helping users understand how to get the most from the tool.

“We had to make sure every part of the product is crystal clear, from interface copy to feature explanations. We also invested heavily in direct support. As a two-person founding team, we personally help users get the most out of the program, which is something you won’t get from larger competitors. But for that to work, we also had to put effort into customer education, so that they understood what they could actually expect from it, how our models work, and what kind of inputs lead to the best outputs. Instead of just shipping features, we learned that teaching users how to use what already exists often has a bigger impact on their results than building something new.”

This approach reflects a broader trend within the AI industry. As powerful technologies become more widely available, success increasingly depends on how effectively companies help users adopt and integrate them into their workflows.

For architects, who already rely on a wide range of digital tools, clear guidance and support can make the difference between an AI platform becoming a valuable asset or simply another piece of unused software.

The Real Lesson of Building AI Products
Through the process of developing and refining the platform, Staniul says the experience has highlighted an important lesson about AI-driven products.

“The biggest takeaway for us is that with AI products, the technology is only half the equation. You can have incredible models and fast infrastructure, but users have to understand how to work with the tool before they can get any value from it. Without that understanding, they’ll leave. That means a loss for your business and theirs. To achieve that, a simple interface isn’t enough.”

While many technology companies focus primarily on improving model performance, Staniul believes that education and support are just as critical to long-term success.

Helping users understand how to interact with AI systems allows them to produce better results and build confidence in the technology.

Global Growth and the Future of AI in Architecture
The strategy of prioritising user success has helped the platform expand rapidly within the architecture and design community. “The best way to keep customers is to ensure that they know how to get good results from your product, and that means providing comprehensive support and education.”

Today, the platform is being used by professionals around the world to accelerate their design workflows and generate visualisations more efficiently.

“That’s how we’ve got to where we are today: customers in 90 different countries, more than 1,500,000 renders made, and saving thousands of hours every month. When you genuinely care about helping your users be successful with your product, everything else follows.”

As AI continues to evolve, its role within architecture is expected to expand significantly. From concept development and visualisation to planning and project management, new tools are giving architects the ability to work faster and explore more design possibilities than ever before.

For Staniul and his team, the focus remains on ensuring that these technologies remain accessible and useful to the professionals who rely on them. By combining advanced AI models with practical guidance and direct user support, the goal is to ensure that architects everywhere – not just those with the largest budgets – can benefit from the next generation of design tools.