The highest-value uses are language work attached to expertise you already have: design narratives, zoning and code checklists you then verify, outline specifications, RFI response drafts, client emails, and marketing copy. Treat the output as a capable first draft from a junior who has read widely and stamped nothing. Your judgment closes the loop.
Not by default. Strip client names, street addresses, and confidential commercial terms from prompts. Check whether your plan trains on inputs, and prefer enterprise or no-training modes when the brief is sensitive. Client agreements and firm policy govern; when unsure, generalize the prompt until counsel has reviewed the tool.
AI is replacing tasks, not professional responsibility. Liability, code compliance, judgment, and client trust stay with the architect of record. The competitive risk is real: firms that automate writing, research, and early visualization simply move faster than firms that type every paragraph and board by hand.
Specify building type, architectural language, two or three materials, setting, light, and camera style, then hold those constants while you vary viewpoint. Vague prompts produce generic renders; disciplined prompts produce a coherent study set you can pin side by side for a design review.
Use it to build the checklist of what to verify (occupancy, egress, allowable area, fire separations), not to issue final answers. Codes are adopted locally with amendments and local interpretations. Checking the current adopted code and stamping the drawings remain the architect's responsibility.