2025 Annual Business Meeting addresses AI usage in architecture, Fellowship qualifications

AIA chapter delegates gathered at the Annual Business Meeting in Boston on Wednesday, the first day of the AIA Conference on Architecture & Design® 2025 (AIA25). Priority topics included elevating members to the College of Fellows who apply but become deceased during the jury process; ensuring geographic diversity in the voting body at institute meetings; filling vacant Director-At-Large positions; and official policies on AI use in the profession.  

2025 President Evelyn Lee, FAIA, welcomed delegates and attendees to the meeting and reported on membership numbers. “AIA’s membership numbers are pacing slightly ahead of last year, demonstrating the value of AIA to individuals and businesses navigating challenging economic conditions,” she said. She also noted a rise in the percentage of women members and members from underrepresented groups.  

She also encouraged members to join a virtual town hall meeting on Wednesday, June 11 to hear an update from executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles on the search for AIA’s next EVP/CEO.

Heather Philip-O'Neal, AIA, the 2025 Board Treasurer, led an update on AIA’s finances, sharing that the institute received a clean audit for the last fiscal year, reflecting sound financial practices and controls. AIA’s building renovation project, she said, is fully funded, and the building will be ready for occupancy by the end of June. She also noted that 2025 was the first year that AIA balanced its operating budget without withdrawing from the 1735 Investment Fund, founded with the proceeds from the sale of AIA Contract Documents in 2020.  

For questions about AIA’s finances, she encouraged members to locate IRS form 990, which is publicly available and serves as “a direct window into how we operate and why,” she said.  

Corey Clayborne, FAIA, and Mickey Jacob, FAIA, provided updates on the resolutions passed at the 2024 Annual Business Meeting. “Resolution 1 – AIA Health and Wellbeing Policy,” Claiborne reported, prompted a formal review of the AIA Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. “All this work, collectively, represents our commitment to placing health and wellbeing at the heart of architectural practice,” he said. As he also reported, “Resolution 2 – Inclusion of Additional Underrepresented Groups Within the AIA 2021-2025's Equity Statement” will prompt inclusion of a greater number of underrepresented groups within the Equity Statement included in the next iteration of AIA’s Strategic Plan, which will cover the years of 2026-2030.  

Jacob reported that “Resolution 3 – Update on Governance Task Force” resulted in a task force that initially convened in March with the goal of increasing communication across the institute’s volunteer groups.  

“It’s not just about the organization’s structure, it’s about our culture,” he said, emphasizing that the goal was to rebuild pillars of transparency, communication, and trust.  

Bylaws amendments

Each amendment needed two-thirds of the votes to pass.  

• Bylaws Amendment 2.41: Motion to amend the qualifications for Fellowship proposed amending the qualifications of Fellowship to allow members who apply but become deceased during the jurying to continue to qualify.  
  
  The motion passed.  
• Bylaws Amendment 5.27: Motion to amend the quorum requirements proposed amending the quorum requirements at Institute Meetings to a majority of accredited member delegates present and a majority of the Institute’s state and local chapters with member delegates.  
  
  The motion passed.  
• Bylaws Amendment 6.06: Motion to fill vacancies in the Director-At-Large position on the AIA Board of Directors addressed the mechanism of filling a vacant Director-At-Large position if a board member vacates their position before their term is up. Under the new bylaw, the position may be filled by the entity or individual holding original authority over filling that position.  
  
  In the event of a vacancy in a Director-At-Large position originally selected by the delegates at AIA annual conference, the board will be authorized to temporarily fill said vacancy until the delegates at the annual conference are able to permanently fill the position.  
  
  The motion passed.  

2025 resolution

• Resolution 1: AIA Artificial Intelligence Policy Resolution, sponsored by the AIA Strategic Council, seeks to prepare AIA members for the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) by establishing clear policies and promoting responsible adoption of AI technologies. The resolution seeks to investigate the profession’s strategic adoption of AI’s potential to foster innovation, enhance design, and increase efficiency—while addressing ethical concerns and safeguarding the profession’s integrity and the public’s welfare. The resolution calls for a formal establishment of AI Usage Policies, an AI Education & Exchange Platform, an AI Ethical Framework (AI’s Integration into the Code of Ethics) and incorporating AI into the next AIA 5-Year Strategic Plan.  
  
  The resolution passed with 99% of the vote.