Featured @ UC News

Honored to be featured in University of Cincinnati News discussing how AI is shaping architecture and research innovation. Thanks Claudia Rebola for the interview.

AI as a creative partner

Exploring AI’s role in architecture and research innovation

By Claudia Rebola. 03. 2026

In architecture and design, artificial intelligence is increasingly becoming more than a tool; it’s a collaborator. University of Cincinnati architecture professor Ming Tang is exploring how AI can enhance research, teaching, and design creativity in his XRLab (Extended Reality Lab).Tang’s lab is focused on more than visualization and immersive experiences; it investigates how digital technologies and computational methods intersect with human-centered design. A significant area of research is computer vision. “AI has become powerful enough to recognize not just objects but the meaning of images,” Tang said. One long-term project, conducted with Cincinnati Insurance Companies, uses AI to assess building risk in the event of hurricanes. By annotating images and training AI models, his team can classify building components and predict vulnerabilities as a practical application that integrates architecture, computation, and real-world problem solving.Another research area involves large language models. Tang’s lab uses AI to enhance VR-based training, simulating interactions of users with the built environment. “Feeding large datasets into AI lets us communicate complex information to people who are not experts,” he said. These tools support a new level of simulation research from smart building management, digital twins, and Internet of Things applications, allowing humans to interact meaningfully with massive, previously opaque data sets.

Check out the full interview at UC News : AI as a creative partner

Credit: Rendering by Meghan Powell, Emma Cek for the “Museum of Emotions” course. Photo provided.