According to a statement from Newmark VLK Hungary, artificial intelligence (AI) is playing an increasingly important role on the office market: not only in building operations but also in tenant decision-making, measuring space utilization and cost planning. Although the real estate sector typically transitions to new technology slowly, AI-based solutions can already influence how companies choose, use and renegotiate office space in the short term.
Beyond mere data collection
Digitalization has gradually entered the real estate market in recent years, mainly in building operations, energy use and data-driven decision support. AI can take this further by detecting patterns in collected data (operation logs, access control systems, sensors, booking systems), generating forecasts and modelling alternative decisions. For tenants, the key is not the volume of data but what measurable conclusions can be drawn: whether the current space is needed, how meeting rooms are utilized, which days and time slots see peak load, and what medium-term operating costs are likely to be.
Three areas where AI can have material impact
- Space optimization
AI-driven analysis can more accurately determine how much office space a company truly requires. With hybrid work widespread, previously fixed square-meter needs often no longer reflect actual presence. These tools can identify underused zones, overloaded communal areas or meeting rooms, and indicate whether a smaller, more flexible or functionally different layout would be preferable.
- Operations and tenant experience
Intelligent building-management systems powered by AI can control heating, cooling, lighting and air quality based on actual use and external factors such as weather. For tenants this is both a comfort and a cost issue. Office apps and digital assistants increasingly manage services like meeting bookings, parking, guest access, fault reporting or EV charging, affecting employee experience and employers’ ability to retain staff.
- Cost planning and forecasting
AI can also be used to forecast operating costs and maintenance needs. That enables more efficient building management for landlords and more predictable cost planning for tenants. AI can flag likely cost changes early, so companies don’t only encounter them when invoices arrive.
Contract review: flagging risks, not replacing negotiation
For long leases or complex operational agreements, AI-based review tools can quickly identify contractual risk points such as unfavorable clauses, disproportionate maintenance burdens or extra costs passed to tenants. However, professional negotiation and market experience remain essential: AI can surface issues but contractual handling and financial assessment still require human decision-making.
Move or retrofit? AI as decision support
A key dilemma for tenants in coming years will be whether to move to a new, more technologically advanced building or to upgrade their existing space with intelligent solutions. AI can model rental-rate developments, location accessibility, employee presence patterns, operating costs and the financial impact of different scenarios. Still, final decisions should consider corporate culture, employee needs and long-term business plans alongside the numbers.
Changing role of tenant representation
Tenant representation is evolving: alongside rent and location, assessability, flexibility of fit-out, the data a building provides, and its technological backbone gain importance. Tenants’ ability to turn available data into negotiating leverage — for example, to secure contract amendments, options to return space or more flexible arrangements — will be crucial.
Conclusion
AI reinforces the trend that offices are becoming less static collections of square metres and more flexible, service-rich environments. Future office value will be determined not only by location and rent but also by data quality, technological infrastructure, operational efficiency and employee experience. Tenants that approach the office strategically and use AI as a decision-support tool are likely to be advantaged.
Related dates from the source: related articles appeared on 2026-11-03, 2026-11-04 and 2026-11-05.
