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  • Beyond the Chatbot: What AI Actually Does for Healthcare Design

Beyond the Chatbot: What AI Actually Does for Healthcare Design

AIAU26-AAH02
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1 LU
Live course date: 03/17/2026 | 02:00 PM
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Description

Tuesday, March 17, 2026  |  2-3pm ET

Artificial intelligence is transforming the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry, yet many professionals remain uncertain about its practical applications. This panel discussion brings together healthcare owners and project delivery professionals to separate the hype from reality. The session will begin by clarifying what AI means for AEC beyond generative chat tools, followed by a data-driven snapshot of current adoption based on a pre-webinar survey of Academy members. Panelists will demonstrate the potential for AI applications in healthcare design and planning, and in particular, discuss how proper AI-assisted code compliance validation and space programming can ensure facilities meet regulatory requirements and support optimal clinical workflows. As AI tools can help identify design deficiencies earlier in the project lifecycle, firms may see a reduction in the number of costly changes thereby improving the overall quality of healthcare environments. The discussion will conclude with practical guidance on how owners and design teams can organize their historical project data today to unlock AI capabilities tomorrow while avoiding siloed point solutions. A live Q&A will ground the discussion in real project experience.

Learning Objectives

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Define the core types of AI relevant to healthcare AEC and distinguish them from conventional digital tools. 

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Discern how AI-driven data platforms streamline early planning, ensure code-compliant designs, and support improved decisions. 

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Analyze survey findings to benchmark participants' own AI adoption against peer organizations. 

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Identify practical first steps for owners, architects, and engineers to prepare their data and teams for AI-enabled workflows. 

Presented in partnership with the Academy of Architecture for Health (AAH).

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Instructors
Priya Cherukuru
AICP

Priya Cherukuru is a recognized healthcare planner and executive leader at Stanford Healthcare. As a certified land use planner (AICP) with more than 20+ years of experience in strategy and capital improvement planning, she is known for bringing creative, innovative, and consensus-based solutions for space needs in highly constrained and regulated hospitals and clinical environments. 

She currently leads the Facilities Planning and Design Department including facilities strategy and development of plans and initiatives with a construction budget of over $8 billion with programs planned for the next 20 years and covering a portfolio of over 5M square feet, 3 Hospitals over 170+ clinic sites, and 50 admin sites for its 20,000 employees, faculty, fellows, and residents. She has grown to become a valued and trusted leader across the enterprise and works closely with partners and peers in the School of Medicine, Stanford Medicine Children's Health, Stanford University and Stanford Medicine-Tri-Valley through a collaborative and governance-based model of influence and proactive planning 

Priya has a bachelor's in architecture, Masters in Urban and Regional Planning and is a certified planner with the American Planners Association (APA). Priya also serves on the City of Santa Clara's Planning Commission and was Chair of the City of Santa Clara, Planning Commission, Historical Landmarks Commission and the Architectural Site Approval Committee for County of Santa Clara. In her personal world, she tries to be a 'loving wife' dutiful mom and dog parent! 

Zigmund Rubel
FAIA

Zigmund Rubel is a technologist and healthcare architect currently serving as a Senior Project Manager at Stanford Health Care. He brings more than 30 years of experience in project delivery and technology implementation for healthcare capital projects, both nationally and internationally, encompassing over 20 million square feet of built space. 

Prior to joining Stanford, Zigmund co-founded Aditazz and Forsight Digital. Both firms leveraged advanced technology to predict and demonstrate clinical operations of healthcare facilities before the design process began. His work in India enabled the planning and design of thirty-one cancer hospitals through automation. In China, his efforts optimized clinical services to support the development of a larger research facility. In the US, he has led multiple Emergency Department optimization initiatives, demonstrating how smart space planning can significantly improve patient throughput. Zigmund holds six U.S. patents in software and building products. 

Zigmund holds a Bachelor of Architecture and a Master of Architecture degrees and is a member of the AIA College of Fellows. He is also a founding board member and Treasurer of the Center for Innovation in Design and Construction. In his personal life, he is a husband, a parent to three teenagers, and a dog owner. 

Frank Thalakotur
PE

Frank Thalakotur is a Vice President of Brookwood Group. He is a licensed Professional Engineer and healthcare facilities strategist who operates at the intersection of MEP engineering, owner representation, and applied artificial intelligence. 

Frank specializes in the strategic planning, design, and management of complex capital projects. His experience spans healthcare, science and technology, mission-critical facilities, commercial development, and high-rise construction across the United States. He has served as both Principal-in-Charge on the design side and as owner's representative, giving him a comprehensive understanding of project delivery from multiple perspectives.A champion of technology-driven project delivery, Frank founded TableCalc, an AI platform that automates life-cycle cost analysis and design for MEP building systems. He has authored papers on AI in MEP engineering and the impact of LLMs on managing construction projects. Frank leverages Lean Construction and BIM methodologies to align project delivery with operational excellence. 

Frank holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Boston University and is a registered Professional Engineer (PE). He is an active member of ASHE and AMFP, and formerly served as Co-Chair of the Lean Construction Institute's New England Chapter. 

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