Integrating AI into Methodology: A Critical Review of a Research Methods Course in Postgraduate Interdiciplinary Built Environment Education

This study presents critical mapping and reflection
on the convergence between conventional research methodologies
in the built environment and the cutting-edge AI-driven tools and
platforms in design education. AI has been instrumental in
nurturing interdisciplinarity in students' methodological thinking
in the built environment, as the research methods are not confined
to disciplinary jargon but rather emphasise the nature of the
analysis. Through evaluations of students' research proposals and
questionnaires involving participants from three distinct
programmes, the challenges to integrating AI-empowered tools
and the potential of applying AI-enhanced research methodologies
are identified. AI notably bridges the gap between architectural
design and engineering in students' research outcomes; however,
gaps persist in terms of applying AI-empowered computer vision
to interdisciplinary research as well as incorporating AI-enhanced
methods from outside the built environment into students'
research.