Why architecture is called a failed profession in India?

I found this discussion on Quora. As an architect it is thought-provoking, indeed. 

I do not think that Architecture is a failed profession, but I believe that Architects will lose their control over the construction industry. We and our arrogance are responsible for this. We are overly proud of our legendary architects, and our ego makes us ignorant about the fast-changing world and how technologies are taking over. Those people who are working as a consultant think that their loyal contacts and clients will believe them and continue the reguler supply of projects. And real estate people think that based on their loyal buyers and brokers they can survive. So neither the consultant and the client is realising the importance of R&D and changing their business model. In addition to this, the students with a BArch are expecting that these consultants, who are running their business based on age-old system and depending on some traditional clients, can pay them something that a startup is offering to a fresh graduate. As a result, when these students face reality a few of them open their consultancy for a little better earning and continue the same loop; and rest try to leave India for international masters, investing all their family savings, and starts the same struggle again in a little elite manner.

We are in the era of AI, and top five companies like Google, Apple, Amazon, FB are all new age companies. Without owning a single car Uber market cap is more than automobile giants - GM and Ford. Without holding a single hotel is earning more than IHG and Hilton. Nowadays, using the app, Planner5D, a child can design an interior like playing snake in Nokia 3310. Google is also simplifying the SketchUp app for ordinary people. The change is not limited in the virtual world, but also it is happening in the real world. The tech-startup, Livespace is taking over the interior design market which has been monopolised by Architects. While the biggest architecture company has a turnover of only 2.5 Cr INR (around USD 363,000), within 3 years, this Livspace is expecting turnover is over USD 100million. This trend is not limited in India. Check the story of Houzz - Opened in 2009, it become a USD 4 Billion company and 1.5 million active home-renovation and design pros using the site. Now imagine, if Amazon or Google starts exploring this market, what will happen. Simultaneously, without sufficient support from real estate owners, contractors and construction markets are rapidly adopting robotics and dry construction techniques. It seems that within a few years AI-powered BIM will dominate the construction system and we can see robots are managing and constructing the building. If you do not believe this, just pay attention to the 3D printing industries.

We often proudly compare our profession with doctors. Let us compare the innovation in diagnosis the doctor has adopted and innovation in design analysis the architect have adopted. Nowadays, while a doctor is equipped with modern technologies, most of which were not exist even a decades ago, an Architect has only changed the drafting process - from drawing board to AutoCAD. Please note that I am not against the drawing board culture. I still believe that design should start from the drawing board; what I am trying to say that the time has arrived to wake up and think differently and if possible think about a different business model. As an architect and student of architecture, it is always important to learn and understand the design philosophy and development process of Charles Correa, but this knowledge will be useless if we never try to test it using the latest software. We are not BV Doshi, and we are not even that era, so we can only survive only if we master in most recent trend -BIM system, parametric, space syntax etc. Importantly, we have to admit that like any industry one day a big fish will come and may engulf the entire architecture industry. If students are not updated and support the need of the big player, they will never get a decent salary. As people prefer to get a designer dress for a wedding, there will be some client, who will prefer an architect, better to say a boutique architect. However, key player of the mass construction industry will be no longer an Architect if we are not changing out mindset welcoming the digital transformation.