AI is reshaping workforce growth and office space demand

A survey by JLL involving over 2,200 C-suite executives and real estate leaders across 21 countries suggests that artificial intelligence is reshaping rather than eliminating the workforce. Contrary to narratives of contraction, more than 60 percent of surveyed companies expect to grow their headcount, with AI driving a shift toward higher-value roles and strategic expansion in specific functions.

Despite potential growth, the research indicates that the nature of office space demand is changing. Organizations are increasingly prioritizing flexibility, such as shorter leasing terms and more flexible workspaces, to adapt to the rapid pace of AI integration. Additionally, skills gaps have surpassed budget concerns as the primary obstacle to real estate transformation for the first time in fifteen years.

AI is also identified as a potential solution to the ‘recontextualization tax’—the significant time and effort employees spend flattening complex, nuanced data into simplified reports for leadership. By automating the grunt work of data translation and exception hunting, AI may allow organizations to manage complex information more efficiently without losing necessary detail.