lHow AI Will Revolutionise Future Office Design

Taking a step back, it is worth noting that the work environment and general office culture have already drastically changed in the wake of the pandemic. And now, many businesses are focusing on creating an office design that supports employee well-being and encourages employee collaboration and creativity. As AI continues to advance and become more intelligent, our working environments could continue to look entirely different again. In this article, we explore the various ways AI will play a crucial role in shaping the workplace of tomorrow.

Personalised work environment

Tech-driven work areas, collaborative furniture and social spaces where employees can relax are all becoming standard design features that come as a part of the modern office. Where workplaces were once endless rows of uniform desks and chairs in a large open space, office life is being transformed into a central hub where employees can come to work when not at home. And where artificial intelligence is now being introduced more regularly into our everyday operations, office furniture design is likely to progress to a whole other level.

Smart furniture equipped with AI sensors can collect data from employee’s interactions with furniture to provide insights on ergonomics. A sit-stand desk is already a great example of how modern office furniture can encourage healthy habits and improve an employee’s health and well-being, but AI can be used to adapt office furniture to individual’s preferences and needs, detecting employee’s movements and suggest adjustments to furniture settings in real-time. For instance, it can remind people to adjust their height adjustable desks to avoid prolonged sitting, even automatically adjusting the height based on their specific requirements.

Forward thinking office furniture manufacturers, such as Dams, are already looking at how utilising artificial intelligence and analytics can provide data to improve the working style and preferences of employees. AI has the potential to provide recommendations for office furniture, design elements, and ergonomic solutions to promote employee comfort and well-being. This data can be used to re-design office chairs and desks to better support the user’s posture and prevent musculoskeletal injuries.

AI-powered machines can also automate the production planning and manufacturing process, optimising efficiency based on existing orders and reducing production time, which in turn leads to faster delivery of furniture while at the same time maintaining high-quality standards.

Enhanced Employee Experience

Workplace apps can give employers and employees the power to manage their office space from their mobile device before they even arrive at the office. Automated systems can regulate temperature, lighting, and other environmental factors, adjusting the levels accordingly to create a more comfortable and productive work environment. Catering to different work styles and individual behaviours can then be used to tempt people back to the office, optimising both employee well-being and general energy consumption.

Artificial intelligence systems can collect and analyse data related to employee presence and movement within the office space in real-time, which can be used to optimise space allocation and arrange workstations efficiently, even analysing workflow patterns, scheduling meeting and suggesting recommendations for adjustments in the office layout to enhance team collaboration.

The risks of AI

AI has the potential to revolutionise the world of work, but this raises questions about which roles it might displace. Over the last few months several high-profile voices have also warned that we should be more concerned about possible dangerous outcomes of supersmart AI. Though artificial intelligence will inevitably become part of the work environment, the upgrades discussed in this article are a few years away yet, and whilst there will be some huge benefits to AI, it also comes with its own set of challenges.

While AI excels in data analysis and automation, it lacks the human touch and emotional intelligence essential for certain tasks. This is particularly relevant at a time when many office employees have spent so much time apart from one another working remotely, with businesses now actively trying to get people back into the office for them to interact and collaborate on certain tasks.

Artificial intelligence may be able to perform certain tasks with greater efficiency than people, but they lack the human touch and interpersonal skills that are essential in many jobs. AI has a limit because it depends on the data it uses. It can’t offer an empathetic customer experience or a salesperson who can turn that displeased customer around. It also doesn't have the capacity humans have for creativity, inspiration and new ways of thinking.

As AI systems become more advanced, they may be able to replace a wide range of jobs, from factory workers to office administrators, but anyone who has been on hold with AI phone support or typed in a complex problem into an AI-powered support chat knows that it can only go so far. This then leads to frustration and people desperately asking the bot if they could speak to a human being.

Transform the work environment

In the UK, it has been reported that 15% of UK businesses are currently using at least one AI technology (which is not as high as in other countries) and larger businesses are more likely to adopt artificial intelligence, with 68% of large companies using at least one AI technology compared to 15% of small businesses. But this number is on the increase and as artificial technology continues to evolve, its impact on office furniture will only grow stronger, transforming the workplace environment, in addition to shaping the future of office design and operations.

From enabling automation and improving decision-making, to enhancing employee experiences and optimising resource management, AI brings countless benefits to the workplace. However it is also important for businesses to consider whether they really need artificial intelligence, and what impact it could have on the office culture in the long run. Either way, the integration of AI in office design is undoubtedly an exciting frontier that has the potential to unlock new possibilities and revolutionise the way we work.