When talking to interior designers over the past year or so, I’ve asked many if they are using artificial intelligence in their businesses.

Most tell me they aren’t — at least not to any significant extent.

Some say they are using text-generating AI, mainly ChatGPT, for tasks like writing emails or creating social media posts. A few have played around with AI design tools but haven’t adopted them for routine use.

But almost all have told me they plan to explore AI and expect to use AI tools regularly in the future.

Designers are not alone in their stutter-step AI journey.

Research organization Gallup reports that most U.S. workers are “broadly optimistic about AI’s potential — two-thirds believe AI will have a somewhat (52%) or extremely (14%) positive impact on their work.”

And yet, only one in 10 say they use AI tools weekly at work and nearly seven in 10 employees don’t use any AI applications, according to Gallup.

So far, people who are using AI at work say it’s helping to generate ideas (41%), consolidate information or data (39%) and automate basic tasks (39%), according to Gallup.

In some ways, slow adoption of AI makes sense. Even if you think a tool will streamline or improve you or your team’s work, you have to make the time to investigate it, purchase it, learn to use it and teach others on the team to use it, too. And most designers are busy with the core aspects of their design business: designing spaces, procuring product, and meeting with clients, architects and contractors.

There can be a fear factor, too. We’ve all read articles about the jobs that could be lost to AI tools.

Gearing up for artificial intelligence

If adopting new AI tools is in your plans for your design firm in 2025, there are things you can start doing now to prepare yourself and your team, even before you start using a particular application.

Gallup, which also has a consulting arm, suggests some issues you may want to consider.

For instance, when implementing such powerful tools, it’s best to have a clear strategy. That includes asking how AI will help your firm achieve its goals. What do you want to use AI to do? What do you want AI to help you accomplish?

“New technology investments should align with the organization’s purpose, or the why that underlies the investment,” say Gallup’s Vibhas Ratanjee, and Ken Royal. “For example, a company with a culture that emphasizes agile, collaborative decision-making, extreme innovation or exceptional customer service should invest in AI technologies and applications that help it do these things more effectively and reinforce its competitive differentiation.”

You’ll also want to create a strategy for educating your team about AI technologies and training them to use such tools. And it is good practice to develop AI policies and guidelines for their use that everyone on the team understands. For example, will you tell clients that images have been generated using AI? Will you require your team to carefully review all AI-generated emails before they get sent to clients?

When you’re ready to delve into specific tools, I recommend checking out the offerings of interior designer Jenna Gaidusek, who has made a specialty of AI education. She offers one-on-one training, provides daily insights and hosts a podcast, all focused on helping designers incorporate AI tools into their businesses. You can learn more about her offerings here.

Alyssa Longobucco, a contributor to Apartment Therapy, recently tested 11 free AI tools for interior design and reports on the three that she found most robust and easy to use.

Earlier this year, I shared several podcasts that also can help get you up to speed on AI applications.

And if you’re already having success using AI in your design business now, let me know! I’d love to hear about your experiences. You can contact me at julie@homenewsnow.com