AI could reduce UK office demand

A new report from workplace consultancy AWA suggests artificial intelligence could trigger a net 54 million square foot reduction in UK office demand over the next five years, as organisations rethink workforce capacity, space requirements and workplace strategy. This revised analysis accounts for both jobs displaced by AI and new AI-driven roles being created, resulting in a more balanced assessment of future office demand.
The findings, published in AWA’s AI Impact Report 2026, indicate