A Santa Monica startup called Blueprints AI claims it can generate permit-ready construction documents in minutes. The company just unveiled Version 2 of its platform at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, running October 13 through 15 in San Francisco.
Architect and general contractor Al Drams co-founded the company alongside data scientist Coco Cao from Hong Kong. Drams holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in architecture from the University of Tehran. He also completed two years of Ph.D. coursework on digital design at the European Graduate School in Switzerland. He first conceived the idea during college, but it only became practical after ChatGPT launched in late 2022.
The platform accepts 2D sketches, photos, PDFs, CAD files, and even simple text descriptions as input. It then generates full construction document sets that comply with local building codes. Drams trained the AI models on eight years of approved drawing sets from his own architecture firm. As a result, the system already understands what permit offices actually accept.
Version 2 takes this significantly further. It now generates documents for architecture, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and interior design all at once. Users can also modify any part of a design, and each change automatically updates the entire project. Additionally, the system checks every modification against local building codes in real time.
However, licensed professionals still need to review all documents and apply their seal before permit submission. The AI handles the drafting, but human architects retain final responsibility.
Drams says architects currently spend about 80% of their time on repetitive drafting and only 20% on actual design. He wants to reverse that ratio entirely. In one documented case, a 4,200-square-foot Chicago residence received permit approval in a single review cycle after using the platform.
Blueprints AI raised a $500,000 seed round and currently has six employees. The company also joined NVIDIA’s Inception program and the Vercel AI Accelerator. Version 1 costs between $3,200 and $8,500 per month, while a $400 monthly trial plan also exists. Version 3 is already in development and will add structural analysis along with electrical panel design.