AI Won't Steal Offices? Survey Shows 61% of Asia-Pacific Businesses Plan Expansion

Despite widespread concerns that artificial intelligence (AI) will lead to job losses and reduced demand for office space, a new survey by JLL reveals a contrasting trend in the Asia-Pacific region. A significant 61% of senior executives anticipate their workforce will expand in the coming years.

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External parties generally believe AI may weaken demand for physical office space, but the survey results show a different trend.

The "Future of Office Trends 2026" survey, which gathered insights from over 2,200 executives across 21 countries, indicates that AI is rapidly evolving from a purely technological issue into a critical factor influencing talent strategy, business operations, and office planning. While 78% of respondents believe AI will significantly alter real estate strategies, only 31% are actively planning for "human-AI collaboration" work environments, and a mere 15% have fully optimized AI applications.

The most pressing challenge identified globally is the shortage of skills related to AI, data analysis, and emerging technologies, cited by 36% of respondents. This "talent skills gap" has, for the first time in the survey's 15-year history, surpassed budget constraints as the primary obstacle to transformation. In the Asia-Pacific region, this issue is even more pronounced, with 42% of respondents identifying the AI skills gap as the biggest limiting factor, and 49% expecting AI-driven retraining needs to exacerbate talent shortages in the next three to five years.

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Instead, companies that are faster in their AI transformation process are more actively investing in upgrading their physical office environment.

Contrary to expectations, companies that are further along in their AI adoption are more inclined to invest in upgrading their physical office environments. This is because high-value work driven by AI still requires deep thinking, focus, and collaboration, for which office spaces are essential. The survey suggests that future office strategies should prioritize flexibility and adaptability over certainty, with companies using flexible leases, diverse office locations, and adaptable space planning to navigate evolving AI technologies and talent strategies.

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The future of office type does not have a single standard answer. As AI technology and corporate talent strategies continue to change, real estate planning should also shift from pursuing certainty to establishing sufficient flexibility and adaptability.