Responsible AI as Cultural Transformation: Strategy and Learnings from Henning Larsen

Online seminar Responsible AI as Cultural Transformation: Strategy and Learnings from Henning Larsen, held by Nitsan Bartov.

The event is part of the talk series “Responsible Artificial Intelligence” (RAI).

When: Monday 20 April at 5,00 pm
Where: Online at the link: http://tiny.cc/5yv0101

Speaker: Nitsan Bartov, The Royal Danish Academy (Danimarca)

Abstract: Artificial intelligence is often introduced into organisations through policy frameworks or technological optimisation. At Henning Larsen, a major international architecture practice, AI adoption has instead been approached as a cultural transformation - and this talk shares the strategy, steps, and learnings from that ongoing process. Over the past two years, we have developed and implemented a bottom-up AI strategy structured around four guiding principles: Literacy, Transparency, Agency, and Accountability. Through workshops conducted across seven international offices, internal experimentation, and evolving governance frameworks, we have navigated the practical realities of embedding AI into an organisation of over 650 people - from building foundational understanding to integrating AI into live design workflows. This talk draws on both that organisational experience and ongoing doctoral research on data-driven approaches to regenerative urban design. Architecture is increasingly shaped by vast and complex datasets - environmental performance, social dynamics, urban systems - and AI offers genuine promise in helping designers engage with this complexity in ways that were previously impractical. But that promise comes with risks: opaque models, uncritical trust in outputs, and the quiet narrowing of design possibility when optimisation tools begin to shape creative judgment. In a field where a single decision can influence a neighbourhood for decades, these are not abstract concerns. This talk offers both a practical framework and an honest account of what we have learned - including that responsible AI is not only about control, but about cultivating the judgment to use it well.

Bio: Nitsan Bartov is an architect and Industrial PhD Fellow at Henning Larsen and The Royal Danish Academy, where he researches AI-enhanced frameworks for regenerative urban design. His work explores how artificial intelligence can be responsibly integrated into architectural and urban decision-making, with a focus on ethics, ecological impact, and long-term systemic consequences.
Operating at the intersection of research and practice, he leads AI literacy initiatives within international design teams and contributes to the development of governance-aware, quality-driven AI adoption strategies in the built environment. His perspective bridges technological innovation with environmental responsibility and cultural awareness.

Contact: Professor Daniele Quercia