London Start-Up Invents AI So Advanced, Architects Finally Obsolete

In a groundbreaking act of technological wizardry, Gendo, the London-based startup with its eye on reducing human architects to the quaint inventors they have always secretly aspired to be, has secured €5.1 million. This considerable pot of coin has been invested by people who presumably look forward to a world where skyscrapers are designed with the swipe of a finger—just like ordering a latte.

Founded in 2022 by British architectural designer George Proud and software engineer Will Jones, Gendo sprinkles a bit of digital magic that has architects whispering to their sketchpads, “But… what about me?” Inspired by platforms like Midjourney or DALL-E, this digital sorcerer can take minor inputs such as doodles, napkin scribbles, or maybe, just an existential sigh, and conjure up hyperrealistic building designs. “Think of it as Midjourney with a compulsion to specify just the right shade of beige,” quipped Will Jones, who modestly refers to himself as ‘A Modern Da Vinci, but for the Cloud’.

The differentiator here? Gendo was concocted for architects by architects, ostensibly guaranteeing you won’t end up with a building only an AI could love. From the color of your structural elements to the precise positioning of your Scandinavian minimalist furniture, everything is customizable. Essentially, it’s a Pinterest board on steroids, but for people who actually build things.

The model promises to channel more realism than general AI algorithms, like a wizard who insists on crafting a perfect broomstick. Architects are reportedly as excited as they are terrified, because who wouldn’t be thrilled by the prospect of a soulless algorithm critiquing their taste in cornices?

“We’re just here to make sure that future buildings won’t resemble a child’s art project,” explained George Proud, while casually suggesting that AI would soon design better couches than Earth-bound designers can dream of. “We’re not replacing architects; we’re just, uh, making them… flexible. Like gymnasts,” Jones added, quite possibly thinking of the intricate mental flips architects are now performing.

For those clinging to the edge of their blueprints, fervently sketching like it’s still 1985, all hope is not entirely extinguished. Gendo’s founders reassure that a few archaic roles might persist. “Someone will still be needed to press the ‘Create Building’ button,” Jones consoled, through perhaps a smirk that can only be described as digitally transformative.

So while Gendo takes a mighty leap into the future, human architects will soon be seen lovingly reminiscing when crumpled sketches were enough and not-an-app was the charge. In the meantime, the world eagerly watches to see if these newfound euros lead us to a future where architecture can at last be “Just Add AI.”