ATLANTA--(MULTI-HOUSING NEWS) – Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming a core component of our daily lives, and architecture is emerging as one of its most promising frontiers. But what does AI really mean for the design industry? Could it lead to projects being generated at the push of a button?

cove, an Atlanta-based architecture firm, is the first design studio to be powered by this technology. The company combines data-driven tools with advanced simulation, helping architects make more informed decisions, optimize workflows and deliver sustainable, high-performance buildings.

Recently, the firm launched Cove Architecture, its full-service architecture practice propelled by a proprietary two-part AI framework that has been in development for more than a decade and required more than $25 million in R&D investment.

Multi-Housing News sat down with Co-Founders Sandeep Ahuja and Patrick Chopson to find out all about cove’s inception and the duo’s shared vision for how AI will shape the future of architectural practice and design innovation.

First, tell us more about your first days as a team. How did you two meet?

Ahuja: We met at Georgia Tech and have been working together for nearly 15 years.

Chopson: We first teamed up at Perkins & Will after school. One day Sandy said, ‘Let’s start a consulting practice for building science,’ and I was in. We started our first company together, later got married and then raised over $36 million to build the cove technology company.

What would you say was the inspiration to start cove and how has your vision evolved over the years?

Ahuja: What inspired me to start cove was the stagnancy in the built environment. Buildings account for about 39 percent of global carbon emissions and many industry workflows are outdated. With my background in building science and architecture—and growing up in diverse countries like Saudi Arabia, Russia and Tanzania—I felt a deep drive to create meaningful change.

Chopson: I’m an architect’s architect—I love design, but I’m also passionate about the technical side. For me, architecture is the intersection of art and rational systems.

As fighting climate change became an important issue, initially, I saw this as a way to create more interesting aesthetics. Over time, I realized it’s more than that: It’s also about preserving the profession by enabling it to adapt to an increasingly data-rich world. Technology allows us to manage complexity and maintain design excellence, and that’s where my passion currently lies.