If you are coming to the AIA Conference on Architecture & Design (AIA26) this year (June 10-13 in San Diego), there are a couple official TAP events plus many more great sessions to consider! This guide provides you with an inside look at some of the sessions and events that TAP members might be most interested in. Also make sure you visit the Innovate Zone on the Expo Floor for a curated cluster of related exhibitors, covering topics such as design software, AI, generative design, simulation, AR/VR, digital twinning, automation, and emerging tech.
TAP events
Wednesday: TAP+AI Taskforce Symposium at AIA26
Practical AI for Every Architect
SYM100 | 9am-5pm | 6.25 LUs | $179 (if attending AIA26) / $299 (symposium only)
Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant concept—it's becoming part of everyday architectural practice. The 2026 Symposium explores what it means to be an AI-enabled architect, focusing on accessible, off-the-shelf tools reshaping daily workflows. From Autodesk Assistant to Copilot, widely available platforms are supporting task management, documentation, coordination, visualization, and decision-making for firms of all sizes. Framed across the full arc of project delivery and practice operations, sessions will examine both analytical and creative applications of AI, highlighting practical ways architects can integrate these tools into core “parts of the day.” Sponsored by Autodesk and Egnyte
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Thursday: TAP Open Forum
Technology in Architectural Practice Open Forum
EV329 | 1:00-2:30pm
Join the Technology in Architecture Practice (TAP) Advisory Group for a panel discussion exploring how data-driven techniques are transforming sustainability in architecture. Hear from experts about gathering, analyzing, and communicating sustainability data. The session includes small group discussions to exchange ideas and practical strategies, plus a networking opportunity to connect with peers and industry leaders. Discover how technology and sustainability together can shape a better future for your practice.
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Other sessions of interest
Note: For more options, you can use the filter on the AIA26 Schedule page to filter by Tracks: Innovation & Technology.
Wednesday
How AI is Revolutionizing Materials Intelligence
NN232 | 10:00-10:30am | 0.5 LU
With AI transforming practice, it's time for workflow to improve across the project life cycle. Unlocking more efficiency in the materials selection and specification process is possible with emerging AI-powered technologies as well as partnerships among architects, owners, manufacturers, contractors, and sustainability organizations. This session will feature Vardhan Mehta, AIA, CEO of Acelab and a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree. Join us to learn how AI and human creativity can be harnessed to improve materials intelligence and workflow across the industry.
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Designing for Impact: Digital Innovation for High-Performance Strategies
SE114 | 11:30am-12:30pm | 1 LU HSW
How can AECOMzero, a firm-developed workflow and digital platform, empower architects and clients to make informed, performance-driven decisions early in the design process? Join us for this session to explore how modular parametric workflows and real-time feedback can support strategies that meet sustainability project goals. Through case studies and live demonstrations, you'll learn how digital innovation enhances collaboration, streamlines optimization, and fosters client engagement. Led by AECOM's Nadine Berger, AIA, and Nick Novelli, this session will offer practical insights into integrating technology and sustainability to create buildings that maximize emission reductions and optimize performance.
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Incorporating Virtual Reality in Early Stages of Design Process
SE126 | 4-5pm | (credit pending)
This session explores the transformative potential of Virtual Reality (VR) in the early stages of architectural design, focusing on how immersive technology can enhance spatial understanding, site recognition, and decision-making. Attendees will gain hands-on experience using VR tools to evaluate design alternatives, simulate real-world conditions, and interact with design proposals in a more intuitive and engaging way.
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Thursday
Big Firm/Little Firm: Designing Your Tech Stack
SE204 | 7:30-8:30am | 1 LU
This session will review the tech stacks used by firms of various sizes and explore the pros and cons of key software, tools, and workflows used. Join us for an analysis of emerging trends in technology and their impact on AEC design and delivery. Plus, learn how to design a tech stack that works for your firm based on its size, project types, design approach, and modes of working and collaborating. You'll also discover how to effectively identify and implement new software and tools into your firm's existing tech stack.
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The Architect's Edge: Smarter Specification Workflows With AI
CE120 | 10:30-11:00am | 0.5 LU
Siloed, text heavy, and difficult to coordinate, specifications are essential yet often lag behind modern design workflows. By digitizing resources like AIA MasterSpec within a common data environment, firms can unlock specification data as a foundation for AI-driven workflows. This session will highlight practical examples of how generative AI can improve accuracy, reduce errors, and strengthen collaboration. Join us to discover how to transform specifications from a late-stage task into a connected, future-ready practice that accelerates delivery and elevates project outcomes.
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Automating QA/QC: How AI Is Reshaping Plan Review & Specifications
CE130 | 2:30-3:00pm | 0.5 LU
What if you could analyze 2D plans and specs and get a structured list of compliance issues in just minutes? For the first time, purpose-built AI tools are making this possible. This session will show what AI-driven QA/QC looks like in practice—from flagging an incorrect number of exits in a drawing set to ensuring plans and specs match. Join us to explore practical examples that you can apply to your own QA/QC process along with a framework for evaluating AI compliance tools.
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Friday
Disruptive Transformation: Leveraging AI for Greater Impact and Innovation with Charlene Li
GS200 | 9:00-10:15am | 1 LU
Join New York Times bestselling author and disruptive leadership expert Charlene Li for an inspiring keynote that will transform the way architects and designers think about artificial intelligence. In this session, Charlene will explore how AI can free you to focus on your core creative skills, help you unlearn old habits, and embrace a mindset of curiosity and innovation. Through real-world examples, Charlene will demonstrate how to start with a problem and leverage AI to solve it. Attendees will leave with actionable insights, a renewed sense of optimism, and practical strategies to build AI fluency, foster team collaboration, and thrive in a rapidly evolving industry.
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AI vs. Reality: Trust, Perception & Differentiation in Architectural Communication
SE320 | 2:30-3:30pm | (credits pending)
As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms the AEC industry, the boundary between what's real and what's AI-generated grows increasingly narrow. This session will feature an IRB-approved study conducted in collaboration with Kent State University. Engaging over 250 participants, including both designers and non-designers, the study examines whether people can reliably distinguish authentic photography from AI-generated visuals. It also explores how accuracy, confidence, and perception shape trust in design communication. Join us to examine the opportunities and risks of AI-driven visualization. You'll even have the chance to test your own eyes in separating reality from AI.
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Saturday
The Next Decade of Data-Driven Design: Reflections & Projections
SE406 | 10:30-11:30am | 1 LU
The explosion of digital tools and project data is transforming design, and the next decade will belong to those who turn data into design intelligence. Data-driven design is no longer an empty buzzword; it's a methodology that empowers architects to make smarter, faster, more impactful decisions at every scale. In this session, HDR's Matt Goldsberry and Jeremy Graham will discuss their decade-long effort to implement data-driven design across some of the world's most complex projects. Join us for an insider's look at the processes, tools, and cultural shifts that made this journey possible—and the challenges that nearly derailed it.
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Small Firms & AI: Build Your Low‑Risk AI Starter Kit
EV339 | 1-2pm
How are small firms (defined as under 10 employees) using AI right now—and how can it support a more intentional, sustainable way of practicing? This informal, conversation‑driven session brings together small firm leaders, emerging practitioners, and anyone curious about practical, low‑risk ways to integrate AI into daily workflows. The AIA Small Firm Exchange will provide attendees with the prompts and a low‑risk AI starter kit including: the one rule that makes AI safe, three high‑impact use cases to start with, a simple boundary list for your team, and prompts you can use immediately.
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