As artificial intelligence transforms the way we work, the office remains an essential place for collaboration and building relationships. In this interview, Marie Caniac, Deputy CEO in charge of the Office Division at Gecina, discusses the findings of a study on the impact of AI on the office and shares her vision for the workspaces of the future, focusing on collective intelligence, the quality of office design, and attractiveness to talent.
Marie Caniac
Artificial intelligence is already transforming organizations and the way we work. What led you at Gecina to want to explore, more specifically, its impact on the role and uses of the office?
Artificial intelligence is already profoundly transforming the way we work. For Gecina, it was therefore essential to gain a concrete understanding of how this evolution would change things for companies, their employees, and, consequently, their offices. As a leading real estate company specializing in prime office space in Paris, our role is to listen to our clients and understand their needs in order to anticipate them. We don’t want to imagine the office of the future for them—we want to build it based on their realities.
That is why we regularly engage with business leaders—CEOs, HR directors, and real estate directors—to compare our perspectives with their on-the-ground experiences, particularly during dedicated meetings we organize at the heart of our flagship projects.
The study’s results, in fact, confirm our belief: AI does not spell the end of the office; rather, it reinforces its strategic importance. 89% of executives believe that the office will remain just as strategic—if not more so—with the development of AI.
This survey is therefore part of that approach: listening, understanding, and anticipating. Because while AI is transforming work, it will inevitably transform expectations regarding the office.
“AI speeds up individual work; the office, on the other hand, speeds up collective intelligence.”
Marie Caniac
Deputy Chief Executive Officer in charge of the Office Division, Gecina
The study shows that 85% of executives view the office of the future first and foremost as a place for collaboration and decision-making. What are your thoughts on this finding?
This figure aligns with a belief we hold at Gecina: the more technology enables us to work effectively on our own, the more we need spaces that allow us to build connections, exchange ideas, or share our expertise. AI accelerates individual work; the office, on the other hand, accelerates collective intelligence.
AI can help us save time, complete certain tasks more quickly, or access information more easily. But it cannot replace a conversation, an idea born from an exchange, a decision made collectively, or a relationship of trust built over time.
While AI allows us to save time on certain individual tasks, we must ensure that this time can be devoted more to the collective. This is exactly what we mean by Gecina, “creator of connections.”
Other findings from the study point in the same direction: 73% of executives believe that AI will transform the role of the office, and 45% believe it will become even more strategic than it is today.
Our offering aligns directly with what companies are telling us today. The office remains a place where people come together: to collaborate, exchange ideas, learn, create, and make decisions together. This is, in fact, the central theme of our “Objets Témoins” campaign, currently being rolled out across our social media channels.
AI can help us work better on our own. Our role at Gecina is to create spaces that inspire people to work together.
Given that 74% of executives anticipate a growing gap between high-quality offices and standard offices, what changes do you now consider a priority to meet the new expectations of companies and employees?
For us, the answer must be very concrete: creating offices that make people want to come together.
While AI allows us to work more efficiently from anywhere, the office must provide real added value. It must be a place where people come to work, of course, but also to meet with colleagues, exchange ideas, collaborate, and create together.
One figure from the study is particularly telling in this regard: 60% of companies anticipate a positive shift in their office needs, whether in terms of space, layout, services, or equipment.
Thus, when asked about their three-year real estate strategy, only 9% of executives plan to reduce office space to cut costs. The stated priority, therefore, is to rethink offices to make them more useful, better located, and of higher quality.
We are already beginning to put this conviction into practice in our buildings. Signature, one of our flagship projects in the heart of Paris, is a prime example. There, we’re completely rethinking how offices are used, with a strong emphasis on spaces that allow employees to step away from the group when needed: more phone booths, as well as meeting spaces adapted to new uses, particularly those related to AI. This will allow employees to step away for a few minutes to interact with their AI, make a call, or focus.
The goal, of course, is to save employees time on certain individual tasks so they can then fully enjoy the rest of the office: more spacious, vibrant common areas designed for gathering, chatting, working together, and building connections. The idea is to break down silos and hierarchies between departments, encourage informal encounters, and make it easier for everyone to connect, exchange ideas, and work with people they might not otherwise have met.
With all these advantages, the office also becomes a key factor in attracting talent. 78% of the executives surveyed believe that the quality of office spaces is becoming a key factor in attracting talent in the age of AI. This is our firm belief: if AI allows us to save time, we want that time to be used to spend more time together.
