For as long as people have been building, stone has been shaped by human hands and simple tools.
Today, we stand in a very different workshop.
There are still hand polishers, chisels and pencils on offcuts – but there are also CNC bridge saws, laser templaters, digital drawings, cranes and vacuum lifters. And just over the horizon, we can see the next wave coming:
AI – helping us plan, predict and simulate
Robotics – helping us cut, lift, polish and handle stone more safely and precisely
For a company like ours – an architectural stonemason, not a volume factory – the question isn’t “Will AI and robots take over?”
It’s: “How do we use them to raise the standard of stonework, not lower it?”
The first wave: from hand-measured to digitally planned
The shift to digital has already been huge.
We’ve gone from cardboard templates and tape measures to:
Laser and digital templating
CNC cutting and profiling
3D models and detailed shop drawings
This first wave of tech has done two important things:
Reduced avoidable error
Walls out of square, tricky corners, tricky access – we see them earlier now, in the model, not on install day.
Freed up more time for detail
When a CNC handles the main cuts, our team can focus on things like joint design, edge profiles, vein layouts and hand finishing.
AI and robotics are simply the next step in that same direction.
What AI will actually do in stone (and what it won’t)
AI gets talked about like magic. In reality, in stonework, it will mostly mean:
1. Smarter layouts and design simulations
Before any slab is cut, AI can help us:
Generate and compare multiple vein-matching and bookmatching options in seconds.
Optimise where joints, cut-outs and offcuts sit to reduce waste and risk of cracking.
Simulate how a stone will look in different lighting conditions and from different angles, based on real site geometry.
Instead of manually testing three options, we can test thirty – and then use human judgment to choose the one that feels right.
2. Better planning and risk awareness
Feeding AI with data from past projects – slab sizes, weights, access, install issues – opens the door to:
Flagging logistical challenges early (stairwells, tight corners, glass balustrades, limited crane access).
Suggesting safer handling paths and sequences for heavy slabs.
Predicting where movement, deflection or stress might become a problem.
It won’t replace our experience, but it will give us more information, earlier – especially on complex architectural builds.
3. Faster, clearer client communication
AI will also change how clients experience stone before it’s installed:
Instant visualisations of their actual stone slabs laid out as islands, splashbacks, walls and floors.
Side-by-side comparisons between different materials and finishes in the same room.
Clearer, data-backed explanations of performance and maintenance for each stone type.
That doesn’t replace us explaining things – it enhances the way we can show, not just tell.
What AI won’t do is walk into a half-built home, feel the floor underfoot, see how natural light hits a wall at 3pm, and adjust a design instinctively. That’s still us.
Where robotics fits: taking the strain, not the job
If AI is the brain, robotics is the body.
We already use machinery to do what humans shouldn’t:
Lift 200kg+ slabs
Make long, straight cuts repeatedly
Polish consistent flat surfaces over large areas
The next phase is more robotic assistance, especially in:
1. Fabrication
Robotic arms that can handle repetitive polishing and edge work with consistent pressure.
Automated tool-changing and cutting sequences for complex pieces.
Sensors that monitor vibration, load and heat to protect both stone and equipment.
This doesn’t remove the stonemason – it reduces the strain on shoulders, backs and joints, and allows us to focus on the custom work.
2. Handling and movement
Smarter cranes, trolleys and lifters with more precise control and better safety systems.
Assisted manoeuvring in tight workshops and sites, reducing the risk of dropped slabs and injuries.
The goal is simple: same (or better) craftsmanship, less physical damage – to people and to stone.
On site: stonework meets augmented reality
Out on site, we can already see how digital tools will help:
AR overlays showing exactly where edges, joints and features need to land before a slab comes off the A-frame.
Smart levels and sensors that confirm alignment and support in real time.
AI-powered install checklists that prompt for structural, fixing and finishing checks before sign-off.
In other words: fewer “we’ll fix it later” moments, more getting it right the first time.
Will craft survive all of this?
For us, the answer is yes – because the most important parts of stonework are still human:
Choosing the right material for how a family actually lives, not just how a photo looks.
Standing in a nearly finished room and deciding whether a joint line is in the wrong place emotionally, not just technically.
Running a hand along an edge and knowing instinctively whether it feels right.
Taking responsibility for an install, not just for a machine’s output.
AI and robotics can help us see more, plan better, lift safer and cut cleaner.
But they can’t:
Replace the conversation at the start of a project
See the whole home as one story
Care whether a client loves the space or just tolerates it
That’s our job. And it always will be.
Why we’re leaning into this future – not waiting for it
At Pazzi, the reason we’re interested in AI and robotics isn’t to become less human.
It’s to:
Raise the standard of what’s possible in architectural stonework
Take on more complex projects with confidence
Protect our team from unnecessary risk and burnout
Give clients more certainty earlier in the process
We want to be the stonemason you come to when you’re asking:
“Can this be done?”
Not just,
“Can you cut these sizes?”
And the honest truth is: the next generation of those answers will come from craft + code, side by side.
If you’re planning ahead
If you’re designing or building a home where stone is one of the main characters – not a late add-on – now is the time to bring us into the conversation.
We’ll bring:
Traditional stonemasonry experience
Modern digital and CNC capability
A forward-looking approach to AI, robotics and smart planning
You bring your drawings, ideas and the way you want your home to feel.
Between us, we can build something that honours stone’s history and uses the best tools of its future.