Generative and agentic artificial intelligence (AI) has quickly become one of the most discussed topics in business. Much of the public conversation has centred on automation, cost savings and job replacement.

Our latest research at simplydbs suggests Canadian office workers are thinking more broadly.

The 2026 Canadian Office Workplace Study, developed in partnership with Yardi, asked 559 office users and workplace decision-makers across Canada how they anticipate AI adoption will impact different areas of their organizations over the coming years.

The findings suggest respondents expect AI adoption to have its greatest impact on technology, cybersecurity, employee training, productivity and data-driven decision-making.

The results paint a picture of measured expectations by those working in the buildings. Rather than anticipating widespread disruption in the near term, respondents expect AI adoption to influence multiple aspects of organizational performance while reinforcing the importance of people, technology and high-quality data.

Where respondents expect AI to have the greatest impact 

An area the study focused on was not whether respondents expected AI to have an impact, but where they expected that impact to be felt.

When asked how AI adoption is expected to influence different areas of their organization, respondents pointed to technology, security and people as the areas most likely to experience change.

Nearly half expect cybersecurity and data privacy risk (47 per cent) and IT infrastructure and hardware costs (47 per cent) to increase. Employee training follows closely at 45 per cent, while 41 per cent anticipate an increase in productivity per employee.

Four in 10 also expect increased data governance requirements, and 37 per cent anticipate greater reliance on data-driven decision-making.

Taken together, the findings suggest respondents expect AI adoption to extend well beyond introducing new technology. Respondents anticipate AI will influence how organizations manage risk, invest in technology, develop employee skills and make decisions.

Interestingly, relatively few respondents expect AI adoption to reduce operating or capital expenditures in the near term. While one-third anticipate increases in both operating expenses (33 per cent) and capital expenditures (33 per cent), only nine per cent expect operating expenses to decrease and seven per cent expect capital expenditures to decline.

Similarly, just 24 per cent expect office space requirements to increase, while the majority (53 per cent) expect them to remain unchanged and only 17 per cent expect a decrease.

The expected timing is equally notable. Among respondents expecting these areas to increase, 86 per cent believe employee training will increase within the next 12 months, while 85 per cent expect productivity gains over the same period. And 84 per cent anticipate increases in both IT infrastructure and cybersecurity within a year. 

AI adoption expected to impact workforce and decision-making

One of the more interesting findings relates to people. Despite widespread discussion about AI replacing jobs, respondents do not anticipate dramatic changes to workforce size.

Nearly half (49 per cent) expect total employee headcount to remain the same, while 23 per cent anticipate a decrease and 22 per cent expect an increase.

Where respondents do expect AI to have a meaningful impact is in how employees work. Nearly half (45 per cent) anticipate employee training requirements will increase, while 41 per cent expect productivity per employee to improve.

Among those expecting these changes, the vast majority believe they will occur within the next 12 months, including 86 per cent for employee training and 85 per cent for productivity. Taken together, these findings suggest respondents expect AI adoption to influence workforce capability more than workforce size.

Nearly one-third (31 per cent) expect engagement to increase, 50 per cent expect it to remain the same and 12 per cent anticipate a decrease. The findings suggest there is no clear consensus on how AI will influence the employee experience, reinforcing that technology alone is unlikely to determine workplace outcomes.

Taken together, the results paint a picture of measured expectations rather than dramatic disruption.

It seems respondents anticipate AI will influence multiple aspects of their organizations, including workplace operations, financial planning and employee experience, but most do not expect wholesale changes in the short term.

The take-away

Perhaps the most important takeaway from the 2026 Canadian Office Workplace Study is that respondents are approaching AI with balanced expectations.

Rather than anticipating sweeping changes across every aspect of their organizations, they expect AI to influence a broad range of business functions while recognizing that many areas are likely to remain stable at least in the near term.

As organizations integrate AI into their everyday operations, these findings suggest employees will need new skills, greater confidence and a stronger understanding of how to interpret AI-generated insights.

The opportunity is not simply to work faster, but to work more effectively by combining the speed and scale of AI with human judgment, expertise and experience.

The findings also reinforce a point we frequently discuss at simplydbs: AI is only as valuable as the quality of the data it relies on.

While AI can process vast amounts of data at extraordinary speed, it cannot compensate for incomplete, outdated or poor-quality data.

Equally important, as of yet, AI cannot replace human interpretation, context and critical thinking.

As organizations become increasingly dependent on AI and data-driven decision-making, access to trusted, accurate and timely data, combined with the ability to interpret it effectively and produce high-quality outputs, will become an even greater competitive advantage. 

Better data, better decisions

For us at simplydbs, the opportunity for the commercial real estate industry extends well beyond adopting new technology. It lies in combining AI with trusted research, reliable data and a deep understanding of how people use and experience workplaces.

CRE organizations that continue investing in understanding the needs, preferences, behaviours and expectations of their employees, customers, tenants and building occupants will be best positioned to unlock AI's full potential.

This study represents the first Canada-wide research initiative focused on AI, workplace technology, current behaviours and future preferences. Its purpose is to establish a meaningful benchmark that will help the industry better understand how workplaces are evolving and provide valuable insights to guide future strategies and investment decisions.

For CRE owners, investors, developers, occupiers and service providers, this research provides an additional source of high-quality market intelligence to inform operational decisions, support strategic planning and enable portfolio benchmarking against broader industry trends.

Ultimately, the organizations that succeed, both within commercial real estate and across other industries, will not simply be those with access to AI. They will be the ones with access to better data, deeper insights, and the ability to turn both into better decisions.