As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly moves from the digital world into everyday life, Malaysian architects and technology leaders are beginning to explore a new question: How should buildings evolve when AI and robotics become part of the living environment?
This question formed the centrepiece of the DATUM: TECH session at the Kuala Lumpur Architecture Festival (KLAF) 2026, where AI Living @ i-City was featured as a case study illustrating how architecture, artificial intelligence and robotics can converge to create a new generation of human-centred residential environments.
Jointly presented by Datuk Eu Hong Chew of I-Bhd and Tony Mak of SA Architects Sdn Bhd, the session shifted the discussion beyond smart homes and automation towards a broader architectural challenge: designing homes that continue to improve people's lives as AI evolves over the coming decades.
"Our starting point was never the robot," said Eu, I-Bhd’s non-independent non-executive director.
"We began by asking what kind of living experience people want. The answer was surprisingly simple: homes should provide greater Comfort, Convenience, Care and Community. AI and robotics are not the objective - they are the enablers that help architecture deliver these outcomes."
Throughout the presentation, the speakers emphasised that the future of residential architecture should not be measured by the amount of technology installed, but by how effectively technology works quietly in the background to improve daily life.
Rather than adding complexity, AI should remove friction from everyday living by anticipating residents' needs and coordinating services seamlessly. This human-centred philosophy was presented through the "4Cs" framework of Comfort, Convenience, Care and Community, supported by an integrated AI ecosystem.
A key message from the session was that buildings designed today must accommodate technologies that will continue evolving long after construction is completed.
Drawing an analogy with autonomous vehicles, the presenters noted that self-driving cars navigate existing road infrastructure through increasingly sophisticated AI, multi-modal perception and continuous learning. Likewise, AI Living is being designed not around today's robots, but around future generations of embodied AI.
"Technology evolves much faster than buildings," said Mak, SA Architects’ director.
"Architecture therefore has to be flexible enough to accommodate technologies that have yet to be invented. The focus remains on creating better living experiences rather than designing for any specific generation of robots."
The presentation also introduced the concept of an Urban Operating System (Urban OS) as the digital infrastructure that coordinates multiple intelligent platforms within AI Living. Rather than viewing robotics as a standalone technology, the speakers described it as one of several AI platforms -including wellness, smart home systems, AI companions and intelligent building management - that need to operate together within a single ecosystem. The Urban OS is envisioned as the orchestration layer that integrates these technologies into one seamless resident experience.
From an infrastructure perspective, this requires a new approach to residential design. Beyond conventional electrical and telecommunications services, AI-ready developments must incorporate digital hubs, strategically planned sensor locations, Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructure and edge computing capabilities from the outset, creating a permanent digital backbone capable of supporting successive generations of AI technologies.
The speakers likened this approach to the way developers currently provide air-conditioning ducting and wiring while allowing homeowners to choose their preferred equipment. Similarly, AI Living aims to provide the common digital infrastructure while remaining open to future AI platforms and robotics technologies.
The session concluded with a broader reflection on the future of architecture.
Rather than asking how much AI can be added to buildings, the profession may increasingly ask how architecture can create environments that enable people to live better throughout changing stages of life.
"Twenty years from now," Mak concluded, "people will not remember whether their home had AI. They will remember how it made them feel. That, ultimately, is the true measure of innovation."
AI Living @ i-City forms part of i-City's broader vision of creating an AI-native urban ecosystem where architecture, digital infrastructure and intelligent services work together to deliver homes that continuously adapt to the changing needs of residents.
Through its participation at KLAF 2026, the project contributes to the global conversation on how architecture can evolve as AI moves from the digital realm into the spaces where people live.
