Evacuation procedures in buildings during emergencies demand advanced systems capable of ensuring swift and safe evacuations amidst increasingly complex (e.g., factories) and densely populated (e.g., urban) environments. Integrating advanced simulation and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms into decision support systems (DSS) for evacuation processes has emerged as a promising approach to optimize and customize evacuation plans according to specific situational and people’s needs. This paper analyses the role, main challenges, and opportunities of AI and simulation in building evacuation. In the context of DSS, AI enables dynamic adaptation of evacuation strategies in real-time, considering psychological and social factors in decision-making, whereas advanced simulation models facilitate the evaluation and refining of evacuation strategies by identifying critical points and optimal approaches. While challenges such as algorithm accuracy, managing large data volumes, and privacy concerns remain, this study shows how technological developments such as smart sensors, autonomous emergency vehicles, and communication technologies hold significant promise in supporting the integration of AI to enhance evacuation efficiency and inclusivity, thereby improving overall building safety.