Nearly two decades after writing a thesis on software for generating school building design documents, Al Drams has launched Blueprints AI, a startup that uses generative AI to produce construction blueprints. The idea, which he conceived as a student, became feasible after OpenAI released ChatGPT in November 2022. Within six months, Drams developed the concept.
Blueprints AI, officially incorporated in 2025, was selected for the 2026 Startup Battlefield 200 cohort and will exhibit at TechCrunch Disrupt from October 13 to 15 in San Francisco.
Drams, who holds bachelor's and master's degrees in architecture from the University of Tehran and completed Ph.D. coursework in digital design, moved to the US and founded an architecture firm in 2018 and a construction business in 2021. He said he was dissatisfied with the limited impact of individual projects and wanted to use technology to save time and energy in the construction industry.
The first-generation software produces architectural construction documents, with subscription costs ranging from $3,200 to $8,500 per month, and custom enterprise pricing. The second-generation version, now available to early customers, takes a description or sketch and generates blueprints for architecture, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and interior design simultaneously. Design changes update the entire project and are checked against local building codes.
Cao, a data scientist from Hong Kong, serves as chief commercial officer handling sales and go-to-market strategy. The models were trained on eight years of approved drawing sets from Drams' existing firm. Drams said architects spend about 80% of their time on drafting and only 20% on design, and he aims to flip that ratio.