AI Supercycle

Macro Shift

AI Supercycle

“These tools have created a bottom-up, user-led revolution rather than a strategy driven by corporate policies.”

*Source: Forbes Advisor 2023, 2024

Mirvac and WORKTECH Academy in
The AI-Powered Workplace

In response to the rise of AI tools, many organizations have started adapting existing roles or designing new ones.

Right now, AI is like a toddler trying to learn about the world. AI engines have limited streams of information to work with and they need ethically-sourced (accurate, non-proprietary) data. These machines are trying to understand what humans want and determine if they get things right. They need people to ask the right questions, input accurate information, edit responses and validate answers. These needs are changing how companies hire, reskill and upskill employees, according to Microsoft’s 2024 Work Trend Index. There’s been a 323% increase in the hiring of technical AI talent in the past eight years and a 28% year-to-year growth in “Head of AI” leadership roles.

“There’s a truckload of uses for AI now that don’t create risk. Organizations need to enable their workforce today to take advantage of advances as they arrive.”

Sean Gallagher
 Founder, Humanova

A vast majority of employees are already using it at work to save time, focus and be more creative. Most leaders are paying attention, but worry they are not ready for the dizzying speed at which we’re integrating machines into our work lives. The question is — how can organizations start now to create an AI-ready workplace?

Ready or not (and many organizations are not), AI is here.

Redefining roles

The rapid changes in how people work with AI are creating both anticipation and anxiety. A recent survey by Upwork, an online platform that connects freelancers with clients looking for services, found nearly 80% of employees using generative AI say it’s added to their workload. Editing, reviewing, moderating and learning takes time. We’re in the early onboarding phase of our new AI teammates which takes energy and patience in the short term, but the benefits are expected to multiply in the long term. In fact, most businesses (64%) anticipate AI will increase productivity and 60% of educators are already using it in their classrooms to boost learning outcomes.*

of leaders worry their organization lacks a plan and vision to implement AI

of leaders would not hire someone without AI skills

of global knowledge workers use AI, nearly doubling in six months

AI Impact

Microsoft 2024 Work Trend Index

Million

jobs will be created  by AI next year

World Economic Forum

AI promises the opportunity for organizations to enhance accessibility, boost creativity and create more dynamic workplaces. This supercycle is moving so fast it may be tempting to watch and wait. “We know AI is already changing work and, as a result, new kinds of spaces will be needed to support how people are working differently,” says Keith Bujak, Steelcase WorkSpace Futures principal researcher. “Designing an AI-ready workplace is an opportunity to put people in the best position to take advantage of this supercycle.” This starts by understanding changing workplace behaviors at a micro and macro level.

Tactical ways to get your space ready

Making space for AI assistants — AI assistants live in both software and hardware. Microsoft Copilot, for example, is integrated into Microsoft 365 to help analyze data, design slideshows, write reports and more. Logitech’s Sight camera identifies and focuses on whomever is speaking. AI assistants, in some cases, will need to live in a physical space to take in and deliver information.

Displaying AI-generated content — Right now AI is fighting for real estate, often isolated to a chatbot. As teams become more comfortable with different forms of generative AI, they will need more digital displays to share and engage with content.

Strategic ways to get your space ready

Amplifying collaboration — In some disciplines, AI is augmenting heads-down, rote work. New jobs are being created such as prompt engineers, machine learning engineers or code reviewers. These teams need to work together to ask the right questions, develop guidelines, review responses for accuracy and usefulness, and provide feedback so AI can learn. This will dial up the need for collaboration spaces that encourage shared decision-making and transparency.

Expanding upskilling — There’s a wide spectrum of AI adoption, according to Microsoft: power users, explorers, novices and skeptics. Helping employees increase their skills requires organizations to develop a culture of learning enabled by training and peer-to-peer learning spaces. “Spiking demand and labor scarcity forced many employers to consider nontraditional candidates with potential and train them,” according to McKinsey Global Institute.

Designing for flexibility — With technology advancements moving so quickly, workplace flexibility is critical. Designs that offer a broad range of spaces are easier to adapt than ones that rely on standard solutions throughout a floor plan. Modular walls and enclosed pods add flexibility because they can be moved from one spot to another. Mobile furniture and tools empower teams and individuals to move furniture themselves so the space works the way they need it to.

Automated and  AI Tools at Work

Workflow Automation  
Simplifies repetitive business processes to save time and money (e.g. Salesforce Workflow)

Digital Assistant
Responds to user requests, sometimes taking action on the user’s behalf (e.g. Apple Siri, Amazon Alexa)

Generative AI  
Creates original content such as images or text based on user prompts (e.g. OpenAI ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot)

New AI-driven behaviors

Using voice activation — People will likely be talking to their devices more often to activate AI workplace assistants, making acoustics an even bigger issue. Mitigating noise, isolating voices and designing for various levels of privacy will grow in importance.

Individual, shared spaces, such as enclosed enclaves, are designed for solo work, video meetings or even respite. These spaces are ideal for voice-activated controls, allowing people to manage their environment hands-free. The integration of immersive video and sound will help people focus and collaborate with others in a very life-like experience.

Optimized for hybrid meetings, AI acts as a meeting facilitator in shared collaboration spaces. AI can integrate several teams’ activities such as listing project barriers across teams. AI-powered video systems may include multiple cameras to track speakers while transcribing meetings. Curved tables cue people where to sit for the best eye-to-eye and eye-to-camera contact. Acoustic performance, such as privacy elements and wall coverings, and diffused lighting are also key.

Team-specific collaboration rooms are optimized for content creation and immersion. Generative AI acts as an added team member by dynamically facilitating a single team’s activities — summarizing notes, creating to-do lists and generating shareable presentations. Interactive displays allow a team to be immersed in their project content. More organically shaped, mobile tables encourage people to move and interact with their content.

Individual, owned spaces are primary places where people will use generative AI tools and digital assistants. People will need bigger screens and more privacy as they work with more digital content and voice-activated assistants. AI tools will also help enhance workstation personalization such as making ergonomic adjustments and responsive lighting.

As AI evolves and is incorporated into our work it will influence how we interact with our environments. AI is already lending itself to a more adaptive experience for designers, real estate and facilities teams. Data can inform early space concepts putting professionals in the driver’s seat to edit and elevate early drafts. AI can also accelerate the feedback loop between how people are using a space and how design can adapt to support new ways of working.

Steelcase designers are considering how the use of AI by people and teams will impact space design, by looking at the different kinds of owned and shared spaces individuals and teams need. The number of each type of space is determined by the organization’s needs.

As AI evolves and is incorporated into our work it will influence how we interact with our environments.

AI-Ready
Spaces

Shared

I + Shared
Hybrid Enclaves + Immersive Video, Sound

We + Shared
Hybrid collaboration  spaces + AI-powered video systems, meeting assistants

Designing an  AI-Ready Workplace

I + Owned
Individual spaces +  personalization, personal assistants

We + Owned
Team spaces + generative AI tools, interactive displays

Hybrid Enclaves + Immersive Video, Sound

I + Shared

Hybrid Collaboration Spaces + AI-powered Video Systems, Meeting Assistants

We + Shared

Individual Spaces + Personalization, Personal Assistants

I + Owned

We + Owned

Team Spaces + Generative AI Tools, Interactive Displays

Owned

AI is already lending itself to a more adaptive experience for designers, real estate and facilities teams. Data can inform early space concepts putting professionals in the driver’s seat to edit and elevate early drafts. AI can also accelerate the feedback loop between how people are using a space and how design can adapt to support new ways of working.

Steelcase designers are considering how the use of AI by people and teams will impact space design, by looking at the different kinds of owned and shared spaces individuals and teams need. The number of each type of space is determined by the organization’s needs.

“Through the power of AI and data science, we’re able to convert vast amounts of workplace data into unique insights that our customers can use to make informed design decisions. Our goal is to help them create spaces that are relevant today and adaptable to the future of work.”

increase in boundary elements and screens to give people more territorial privacy. Companies are adding a range of privacy solutions.

Companies are starting to make changes to address new employee needs.

150

Over the last three years, Steelcase and our dealer community have developed an AI-driven data analytics practice to inform and accelerate workplace design for our customers and design professionals.

Data-Driven Design

increase in adding power to social spaces. More laptop tables and privacy elements are also being added. With more performance, these settings can be used for focus work and collaboration.

increase in the use of flexible furniture in collaboration spaces. Teams can adjust their spaces as new AI technologies find their way into the workplace.

Creating Immersive Spaces

Contributors: Rebecca Charbauski, Senior Editor, Work Better magazine; Keith Bujak, WorkSpace Futures Principal; Jenny Carroll, Manager, Digital UX/UI, Interaction Design; Andrew Kim, Director, WorkSpace Futures; Steve Miller, Vice President, Chief Technology Officer

The large-scale (floor-to-ceiling screen), immersive, rich environment  is designed with a high degree of flexibility. Researchers are observing how immersive spaces provide people with a more realistic experience (e.g. a virtual walk-through of an

operations facility). The immersive space also supports generating  and manipulating digital information and large-scale data visualization. Research indicates immersive spaces will be an important part  of an AI-read workplace.

Steelcase researchers and designers are exploring new types of spaces that can improve all types of collaboration, including when people work with AI. An Immersive Multipurpose Room (IMR) prototype is being used and evaluated by a range of Steelcase teams for multiple purposes. The large-scale (floor-to-ceiling screen), immersive, rich environment is designed with a high degree of flexibility. Researchers are observing how immersive spaces provide people with a more realistic experience (e.g. a virtual walk-through of an operations facility). The immersive space also supports generating and manipulating digital information and large-scale data visualization. Research indicates immersive spaces will be an important part of an AI-ready workplace.

Jorge Lozano  
Manager for Data Science and Digital Innovation at Steelcase

What we’re learning:

Data-Driven Design analyzes information gleaned from customer orders and has identified five million applications to study. These applications are aggregated to find new patterns in the ways organizations are updating their spaces. The data allow us to identify and share workplace trends as they emerge.

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