Artificial intelligence is advancing at a pace and scale unlike any previous technological change in the lighting design profession. We believe we have a responsibility to engage with it directly, both to keep our own practice relevant and to contribute to the long-term vitality of our profession.
Chromatic - Artificial Intelligence Use Policy
Version 0.3 - Provisional
01 / Our Philosophy of Adoption
The next generation of designers will enter a world in which AI is part of how ideas are developed, information is understood, and work is produced. Those of us whose experience predates these tools have a particular responsibility to investigate their capabilities, challenge their limitations, and help shape thoughtful standards for their use.
Responsible adoption does not mean accepting every new capability without question, and preserving the value of human expertise does not mean resisting change. We believe experienced practitioners should take an active part in this transition, carrying forward the knowledge, critical thinking, and professional standards that give design its value.
02 / Our Approach to Artificial Intelligence
At Chromatic, we use AI as a tool to support research, exploration, analysis, communication, and the development of our work. We believe these tools can expand creative possibilities, clarify information, and free more of our attention for the human experience of light.
Our design intent, professional judgments, and recommendations remain human-led. AI-assisted work is reviewed by our team, with a level of verification appropriate to how it will be used. It does not replace technical validation, professional expertise, or project-specific coordination.
We are glad to discuss with any client how AI is used in the course of their project.
We believe these tools may help broaden access to quality lighting design and extend the positive effect light can have on people's lives. We approach them with curiosity, critical thinking, and transparency, and we remain accountable for the work we produce.
03 / Imagery and Authorship
Imagery is one of the primary ways we communicate design intent. Our renderings, visualizations, and illustrations are editorial and interpretive in nature, whether they are made by hand, with conventional digital tools, or with AI. They convey atmosphere, intent, and the qualities of light we are pursuing.
Unless expressly stated otherwise, our imagery is not intended to depict existing or finished conditions, nor to serve as a photometric, technical, or performance representation. Measured performance is communicated through calculations, specifications, and project documentation.
Where imagery has been generated or materially altered with AI, our practice is to note this when it is presented to clients or the public, and we make reasonable efforts to do so consistently.
We respect the authorship and intellectual property of fellow designers, artists, and creators, and we do not use AI to misrepresent or appropriate their work. Where our work draws on identifiable source material, we make reasonable efforts to credit it, to the extent practicable.
04 / Data Privacy and Confidentiality
Responsible use of AI includes protecting the information entrusted to us by clients, collaborators, and employees.
Our practice is not to submit confidential, proprietary, or personally identifiable information to AI services that lack appropriate safeguards. This includes unpublished project materials, client records, proprietary designs, financial information, and contractual documents.
Where AI-assisted work involves sensitive information, we favor environments that give us control over how that information is accessed, retained, shared, and used, including whether it may be used to train models. We share only what a task requires, and we abstract or redact sensitive material where practical.
These practices are carried out through internal standards that classify information by sensitivity and set out which tools and workflows may be used for each. We periodically review the tools we use as their capabilities, terms, and data practices change.
05 / Review and Scope of this Statement
This statement describes Chromatic's current principles and practice. It is provisional and will be revised as our methods, tools, and the wider landscape develop.
It is not a contract, warranty, or guarantee of any particular outcome. Commitments to a specific client, including confidentiality and the use of AI on their project, are governed by our agreement with that client.
Our aim is not simply to adopt new technology, but to build a practice in which these tools strengthen human creativity, technical rigor, professional responsibility, and access to good lighting design.
Chromatic, Inc. | Provisional Statement | October 2026