Is AI killing the office?

There’s no doubt that AI is changing the office, and we’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg. But is it killing the office?

Our leadership team recently came together to debate that familiar question.

AI is rapidly streamlining the time-consuming tasks that once tethered people to their desks. It’s giving businesses data-driven reasons to downsize or relocate. And in doing so, it’s reshaping the physical footprint and configuration of the office.

But the other side of the conversation was just as compelling. By removing repetitive, process-heavy work, AI is shifting the role of the office from a desk to sit and work from, to spaces designed for something entirely different: connection, collaboration, creative tension, learning, mentoring, energy. The things that can’t be automated. The things that strengthen culture and fast-track game changing business decisions.

We couldn’t agree on a winner, because we all agreed on the paradox: AI is killing the office, but it’s also resurrecting it.

You can see both sides in our recent projects, including our Sydney HQ.

AI is helping us to drive throughput from a more efficient footprint despite the team size growing. We reduced the footprint of our Sydney studio by a third, yet desk occupancy rose by 34% and satisfaction increased by 41%. Every square metre was reimagined to prioritise flexibility, creativity and human connection.

Similarly, despite growing usage of AI, Richard Crookes Constructions (RCC) upsized into a new headquarters designed to bring people together with purpose, and desk occupancy is consistently at 120%.

Whether consolidating or expanding, it seems the AI paradox shapes every project – workplaces that are more efficient yet more human, more flexible yet more focused, and more automated yet more personal.

And this is just the beginning.