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AI to drive demand for new office formats, say 47% of occupiers; India, Southeast Asia emerge as APAC’s top growth markets: Report
Every respondent surveyed expects Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create new specialised roles requiring different skills, capabilities and collaboration models
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India and Southeast Asia stand out as the most growth-orientated cluster across the Asia Pacific region (APAC), with occupiers prioritising portfolio resilience, talent acquisition, and future-ready facilities, according to a APAC survey report by Colliers India. The survey reveals that 47% of surveyed occupiers expect Artificial Intelligence (AI) to drive demand for multiple evolving formats.
According to the report, AI is emerging as a major force behind workplace decisions. Every respondent surveyed expects AI to create new specialised roles requiring different skills, capabilities and collaboration models. Occupiers also expect AI to have its greatest impact on productivity and output, followed by skills, job roles and workforce structures.
"Importantly, the research challenges the assumption that AI will lead to widespread office contraction. Nearly half of respondents (47%) expect AI to drive demand for different workplace formats & space types, with more collaborative, tech-enabled environments," the survey report said.
The survey reveals that 82% of surveyed occupiers in the APAC region operate office-centric models, with an enhanced focus on productivity and innovation, and 80% expect no meaningful change to their workplace policies over the next 12 months.
The 2027 Colliers Asia Pacific Workplace Insights is based on a proprietary Colliers survey of 313 corporate office occupiers conducted in August 2026 across 11 Asia Pacific markets including Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan. The survey combined digital responses with one-on-one client interactions and includes organisations across a range of sectors and company sizes.
The report identifies the key themes likely to shape workplace strategies and decisions in 2027 and beyond, based on insights from more than 300 office occupier clients across 11 key markets in the APAC region.
India and Southeast Asia focus on expansion, talent and future-ready workplaces
According to the report, India and Southeast Asia continue to stand out as the region’s most growth-oriented cluster, with occupiers prioritizing portfolio resilience and future readiness.
"While occupiers in the cluster remain highly sensitive to geopolitical risks, 34% continue to pursue growth and actively expand their operations. Cost efficiency and skill availability remain the leading factors influencing location decisions, highlighting the need for balancing expansion with operational efficiency and access to talent," the report said.
The report said that India has especially emerged as a compelling growth market for most large corporations, with occupiers continuing to invest in workplaces that enhance talent attraction and performance. Compared to many regional peers, occupiers are showing a stronger appetite for upgrading to higher-quality office space and reconfiguring workplaces, highlighting a shift towards value creation over cost reduction.
“India remains a high-growth office market in the APAC region, underpinned by a resilient economy and sustained occupier expansion. Beyond strong demand prospects, occupiers increasingly view the office as a strategic enabler of business performance, talent attraction and collaboration," said Arpit Mehrotra, Managing Director, Office Services, Colliers India.
"This shift is reflected in the APAC survey, where 21% of occupiers in India and Southeast Asia prioritise upgrading to higher-quality office spaces with the same proportion focused on reconfiguring their offices. These trends underscore a growing emphasis on value creation, with businesses investing in workplaces that support evolving workstyles and long-term growth. This flight to quality is expected to play an increasingly important role in occupier decisions across the region," said Mehrotra.
The report also reveals that occupiers across the APAC region are prioritising value creation over footprint reduction despite ongoing cost pressures. Three-quarters of respondents (75%) cited occupancy costs as a major factor influencing workplace decisions. However, rather than reducing space, 40% plan to renew existing leases while 29% intend to maintain their current footprint.
