AI in the office: a smarter space for us to work

AI is a compelling differentiator that will only become more so as people’s homes get more and more high tech. With virtual assistants at the behest of every whim (Siri, read out my texts; Tado, make it 20 degrees; Alexa, play Radio 2; Google, turn on the washing machine and see who’s at the door), our houses are already fitted with more AI than your average skyrise can dream to match. When it does, there’ll be competition between employers to out-AI our homes – and to out-AI each other. AI has been poking around the workplace for a while – whether we’re aware of it or not – and is on the cusp of taking off. Here we look at the many ways we can harness AI to enhance the office experience for employees and their clients, while offering flexible, sustainable and cost-efficient options for those making the decisions.

Inside the building, AI can help architects and interior designers to visualise and map out space. Taking a floor plan, these teams can use AI to suggest optimal layouts according to people flow, sun position and workspace requirements on any given day, as well as scenarios for every permutation of work model.

What if the business grows three-fold in a year? What if our clients want us on site every Tuesday? What if we hold a monthly group hug?

AI can then generate test fits and virtual reality simulations of the office layout – and umpteen future adaptations – before construction begins.

It can also help us optimise energy usage, lower costs and reduce our carbon footprint – from deciding which walls, design features and furniture items are absolutely necessary (and/or fit for multi-purpose) to choosing the most eco-friendly materials and sustainable building practices.

In short, AI can show and recommend how to build, use, grow into, reconfigure and repurpose a building for the years to come – and how to hand it over with the least possible waste.

Aside from adding ambience and convenience, AI tools deliver significant cost savings. Smart sensors can optimise the lighting and heating based on natural light, climate and desk traffic from one day to the next. Why illuminate the whole building on an almost-empty Friday? While we’re at it, should we pause the milk order, trim down security or cancel the cleaners? As AI in buildings will be lowering operational energy, this will make spaces more sustainable.

Intelligent tech can provide a constant cost analysis of office usage – staff movement, weekly activity, seasonal trends – and look at these in relation to energy consumption, market forecasts and supplier quotes to identify both cost-saving opportunities and ways to adapt the space for now and projected growth.

AI can also predict when office facilities need an update or maintenance check and schedule these tasks. It may not be long before AI-powered robots actually carry out such jobs, along with cleaning or moving furniture to adapt to changing needs.

In terms of security, AI can use biometrics to control both physical and data access. It could even use voice and face recognition to monitor the emotional health and wellbeing of staff, and potentially adjust environmental factors to boost mood and productivity.

While offices will still be designed and fitted out by people, we see many benefits to using AI at different stages of the process – from selection and design to sustainable build, occupant experience and eventual hand over – thanks to its deeper and faster insights and analytics. Indeed, the next generation of design-and-builders will use it at conception.

AI can streamline the fit out process, making it more eco friendly and cost efficient, more customisable and collaborative, and altogether more conducive to employee wellbeing and productivity. Companies can scale without adding headcount and effortlessly adapt their workspace for changing business needs.

Beyond the workspace, we might even share our office data with the wider community for the benefit of all. For example, if we and other office buildings deduce that Wednesdays are a high people-traffic day, we could liaise with local companies, such as transport providers and sandwich shops, who may decide to scale up their services in line with our footfall.

But first things first. We need building infrastructure to catch up with all this tech – and for companies to invest in the notion of office life. For some, it may seem unrealistic to return to the big commute. But, with the right culture and AI capability, we believe the office could be entering a whole new level of water cooler love.