CBRE is signaling that the rise of artificial intelligence is more likely to reshape U.S. office-using employment than to trigger large-scale job losses. In new research released Wednesday, the firm concludes that only a small share of office roles are highly vulnerable to disruption from AI, while the majority will either adapt to the technology or experience only moderate change.
According to CBRE, just 5% of jobs that typically utilize office space fall into the category most susceptible to displacement by AI tools. These positions tend to emphasize solitary tasks that can be performed remotely, making them more exposed to automation and process-driven technologies.
At the other end of the spectrum, CBRE identifies about 18% of office-using roles as highly adaptable to AI, meaning that workers in these positions are expected to incorporate AI into their workflows rather than be replaced by it. These jobs are characterized by the need for collaboration, problem-solving and interaction with colleagues, attributes that continue to align with in-person office use.
The remaining 77% of office-oriented roles fall into a middle band in CBRE’s analysis. These jobs are considered exposed to AI-driven change but not at high risk of outright displacement. For these workers, AI may alter specific tasks or processes without fundamentally eliminating the roles.
CBRE notes that the functions most at risk from AI, such as payroll and timekeeping clerks or tax collectors and revenue agents, are typically focused on individual work and can often be carried out from remote locations. This makes them more susceptible to automation as AI tools advance in handling repetitive, rules-based tasks.
In contrast, the roles that CBRE views as being supported or enhanced by AI tend to be collaborative and frequently office-based. Examples cited in the research include financial and investment analysts, computer network architects and AI engineers, all of whom are expected to leverage AI to augment their work rather than see it substituted.
John Morris, CBRE’s group president of advisory leasing, frames the current AI wave within a longer history of technological change. He points to the advent of the internet and the smartphone as prior episodes when technological innovation ultimately coincided with growth in office-using employment as a share of the broader U.S. job base.
Drawing on that historical context, Morris says CBRE’s analysis suggests that AI’s overall impact on the office sector is likely to be net positive. While certain tasks and positions may be streamlined or eliminated, the firm believes the broader effect of AI on office-using employment and demand for collaborative workplace environments could be more beneficial than damaging.
