# AI firms boost office leasing demand as CBD Grade A rents climb 2% in 3Q2026 - **Source:** EdgeProp Singapore - **Published:** 2026-10-23T08:28:41.000Z - **Author:** Cecilia Chow - **Original:** https://www.edgeprop.sg/property-news/ai-firms-boost-office-leasing-demand-cbd-grade-rents-climb-2-3q2026 - **Topics:** Commercial & Industrial, Government & Policy, Investment & Capital Markets ## Featured rationale Growing AI occupier demand, falling premium CBD vacancy and limited new supply before 2028 signal continued rental pressure and could strengthen landlord confidence. ## AI summary Core CBD Grade A office rents rose 2% quarter-on-quarter to $12.75 psf per month in 3Q2026, the strongest quarterly increase since 3Q2022. ## Original article Artificial intelligence (AI) companies are emerging as a growing source of office leasing demand in Singapore, adding to an already resilient market led by financial services, professional services and technology firms. The demand comes as Core CBD Grade A office rents climbed 2% quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q) to $12.75 psf per month in 3Q2026, up from 0.8% in the preceding quarter, according to CBRE. This was the strongest quarterly rental increase since 3Q2022. Meanwhile, the Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA) broader office rental index for the Central Region rose 0.8% q-o-q in 3Q2026, matching the increase in 2Q2026. Read also: Keppel Reit to acquire 51% stake in Keppel South Central at $626.2 mil property value Financial services remained the largest source of office leasing demand, accounting for 29% of new CBD leases in the first nine months of 2026, followed by professional services at 19% and technology at 16%, according to Cushman & Wakefield (C&W). AI companies are also emerging as an increasingly significant source of demand, ranging from smaller firms taking up flexible workspaces to larger occupiers seeking dedicated premises in prime office buildings, says Tricia Song, CBRE head of research for Singapore and Southeast Asia. For instance, Anthropic has reportedly committed to 100 desks at The Executive Centre in Ocean Financial Centre, while Manus AI is understood to be taking up about 10,357 sq ft, or half of the flexible workspace operated by Industrious at Keppel South Central. According to June Chua, Newmark's senior managing director and head of Singapore leasing, some technology and AI firms are moving from serviced offices into their own premises, signalling a deeper commitment to Singapore and the region. Sierra AI has reportedly leased about 10,000 sq ft of dedicated office space at Keppel South Central, while OpenAI is in advanced negotiations for approximately 120,000 sq ft across five floors at Shaw Tower. This would represent a substantial expansion from OpenAI's current footprint of about 100 desks at The Work Project's CapitaSpring facility, says JLL. Office Rental Indices The Downtown Core remained the most active office submarket, recording about 0.1 million sq ft of net demand in 3Q2026, accounting for 53% of islandwide net demand during the quarter, says Wong Xian Yang, C&W head of research for Singapore and Southeast Asia. Read also: Two office floors at Springleaf Tower offered for sale with $54.15 mil price tag "This marks its sixth consecutive quarter of positive net demand, likely supported by higher take-up at new developments such as Shaw Tower and Keppel South Central, particularly from technology occupiers," adds Wong. Meanwhile, islandwide office vacancy fell to 10% in 3Q2026 from 11% in the preceding quarter, its lowest level since 1Q2024. The decline reflected both resilient occupier demand and the withdrawal of existing office space from the market for redevelopment, says CBRE's Song. According to URA data, occupied office space rose by 17,000 sq m (close to 183,000 sq ft) in 3Q2026, while the overall office stock contracted by 72,000 sq m (775,000 sq ft). CBRE attributes much of the contraction to the likely withdrawal of office space at 79 Anson and HarbourFront Centre for redevelopment. The tightening was particularly evident in the premium CBD office segment, where vacancy fell to 2.6% from 3.3% in 2Q2026, notes CBRE's Song. Read also: Offices get pricier to rent and buy in 2Q2026, pipeline supply dwindles According to JLL, only two non-strata office developments are expected to enter the market over the next two years: the refurbished Robinson Point by end-2026 and Newport Tower in 2027. URA data shows that about 94,000 sq m of gross office space is scheduled for completion in 2027, before supply rises to 319,000 sq m in 2028. With limited new office supply expected before 2028, consultants anticipate further rental growth. CBRE's Song expects Core CBD Grade A office rents to rise by more than 5% in 2026, the strongest annual growth since 2022. C&W's Wong maintains his forecast of 4% to 5% growth in CBD Grade A office rents for the full year. Similarly, Newmark's Chua expects premium and Grade A office rents to rise by 4% to 5% this year. ## Chinese translation > Translation model: grok_cli ### 人工智能公司提振办公楼租赁需求，中央商务区甲级租金2026年第三季度上涨2% 在空置率收紧、新增供应有限的背景下，人工智能公司日益增长的需求正进一步加大甲级办公楼租金的上行压力。 人工智能（AI）公司正日益成为新加坡办公楼租赁需求的增长来源，为一个本已具韧性、由金融服务、专业服务及科技公司主导的市场再添动力。 此项需求出现之际，据世邦魏理仕（CBRE）数据，核心中央商务区甲级办公楼租金在2026年第三季度环比（q-o-q）上涨2%，至每平方英尺每月12.75新元，涨幅高于前一季度的0.8%。这是自2022年第三季度以来最强劲的季度租金涨幅。 与此同时，市区重建局（URA）涵盖中区的更广义办公楼租金指数在2026年第三季度环比上升0.8%，与2026年第二季度的升幅持平。 延伸阅读：Keppel Reit将以6.262亿新元的物业价值收购Keppel South Central 51%股权 戴德梁行（Cushman & Wakefield，C&W）数据显示，金融服务仍是办公楼租赁需求的最大来源，占2026年前九个月中央商务区新租约的29%，其后为专业服务（19%）及科技（16%）。 人工智能公司也正成为日益重要的需求来源，从承租灵活办公空间的较小型公司，到在优质办公楼寻求专用场所的较大型用户不等，世邦魏理仕新加坡及东南亚研究主管Tricia Song表示。 例如，据报道，Anthropic已承诺承租海洋金融中心（Ocean Financial Centre）The Executive Centre的100个工位；而据了解，Manus AI将承租约10,357平方英尺，即Industrious在Keppel South Central运营的灵活办公空间的一半。 Newmark高级董事总经理兼新加坡租赁主管June Chua表示，部分科技及人工智能公司正从服务式办公室迁入自有场所，显示出对新加坡及本区域更深入的投入。 据报道，Sierra AI已在Keppel South Central承租约10,000平方英尺的专用办公空间，而OpenAI正就邵氏大厦（Shaw Tower）五个楼层、约120,000平方英尺进行深入谈判。仲量联行（JLL）表示，相较于OpenAI目前在The Work Project设于CapitaSpring的设施内约100个工位的规模，这将是一次大幅扩张。 办公楼租金指数 戴德梁行新加坡及东南亚研究主管Wong Xian Yang表示，市中心（Downtown Core）仍是最活跃的办公楼子市场，2026年第三季度录得约10万平方英尺净需求，占该季度全岛净需求的53%。 延伸阅读：Springleaf Tower的两个办公楼层以5415万新元的标价出售 Wong补充道：“这标志着该子市场连续第六个季度录得正净需求，很可能受到Shaw Tower及Keppel South Central等新发展项目较高吸纳量的支撑，尤其来自科技用户。” 与此同时，全岛办公楼空置率由前一季度的11%降至2026年第三季度的10%，为2024年第一季度以来的最低水平。 世邦魏理仕的Song表示，这一下降既反映了用户需求保持韧性，也反映了现有办公空间因重建而撤出市场。 根据市区重建局数据，2026年第三季度已占用办公面积增加17,000平方米（接近183,000平方英尺），而整体办公楼存量收缩72,000平方米（775,000平方英尺）。 世邦魏理仕将存量收缩的很大部分归因于79 Anson及HarbourFront Centre的办公空间很可能因重建而撤出。 世邦魏理仕的Song指出，收紧在优质中央商务区办公楼板块尤为明显，该板块空置率由2026年第二季度的3.3%降至2.6%。 延伸阅读：2026年第二季度办公楼租售价格走高，管道供应萎缩 仲量联行表示，未来两年预计仅有两个非分层办公楼发展项目入市：翻新后的Robinson Point将于2026年年底前入市，Newport Tower则于2027年入市。 市区重建局数据显示，约94,000平方米的办公总楼面面积计划于2027年竣工，2028年供应则升至319,000平方米。 由于预计2028年之前新增办公供应有限，顾问预期租金将进一步增长。 世邦魏理仕的Song预计，核心中央商务区甲级办公楼租金2026年将上涨超过5%，为2022年以来最强劲的年度增幅。 戴德梁行的Wong维持其全年中央商务区甲级办公楼租金增长4%至5%的预测。同样，Newmark的Chua预计优质及甲级办公楼租金今年将上涨4%至5%。