# AI to reshape, not reduce, demand for Singapore Grade A offices: C&W

- **Source:** EdgeProp Singapore
- **Published:** 2026-09-15T23:00:00.000Z
- **Author:** Atiqah Mokhtar
- **Original:** https://www.edgeprop.sg/property-news/ai-reshape-not-reduce-demand-singapore-grade-offices-cw
- **Topics:** Commercial & Industrial, Regional Markets

## Featured rationale

Limited prime supply and businesses’ flight to quality may support Grade A rents while widening the segment’s 48% rental premium over Grade B offices.

## AI summary

Cushman & Wakefield projects Singapore CBD Grade A office vacancy at 1.5%–4.9% by 2030, versus 4.4% at end-2025, across four AI-adoption scenarios.

## Original article

While the growing adoption of AI is set to reshape how businesses use the workplace, it is unlikely to significantly reduce demand for Grade A office space in Singapore, according to Cushman & Wakefield.

In a September research report titled AI Impact: Office Insights Singapore, the real estate services firm studied the potential impact of AI adoption on Singapore’s economy, workforce and commercial real estate through to 2030.

The study looked at four scenarios with different assumptions relating to the rate of AI adoption, along with economic and labour market impact. The scenarios represent a spectrum of potential outcomes — AI-led productivity expansion driving increased demand for office space on one end, and AI-driven labour displacement weakening leasing demand on the other.

Read also: Five construction tech startups to showcase innovations at Apac pitch day in Singapore

Based on the scenarios, CBD Grade A office vacancy in Singapore is projected to range between 1.5% and 4.9% by 2030, compared to 4.4% as at the end of 2025. Meanwhile, rental movement for Grade A offices could range from 6.5% growth to a decline of 2.3% in 2030. In comparison, rents grew by 2.2% in 2025.

The range of outcomes indicates a “resilient” prime office market, with vacancy remaining below 5%, noted Dr Dominic Brown, head of international research at Cushman & Wakefield. “It shows why the impact of AI on real estate cannot be understood through jobs alone — supply, productivity, business growth and the changing role of the workplace all matter.”

Among the four scenarios modelled in its study, Cushman & Wakefield posits a baseline scenario that assumes moderate productivity gains from steady AI adoption, along with stable employment levels supported by continued hiring in office-intensive industries.

Against this backdrop, the firm expects demand for higher-quality workspaces to be reinforced, even as some work gets replaced by AI. “As routine activities become increasingly automated, workplaces are expected to play a greater role in collaboration, innovation and client engagement,” Brown explained.

Consequently, as more businesses gravitate to better workspaces, the flight to quality could widen the existing gap between prime and non-prime workspaces. According to Cushman & Wakefield, Grade A offices command a rental premium of 48% over Grade B offices as of 2026, increasing from 34% in 2019.

At the same time, new prime office supply remains limited, which will further support the Grade A market. Cushman & Wakefield projects vacancy for Grade A offices in the CBD to tighten to 3.7% by the end of this year and fall below 2% beyond 2029. Meanwhile, rents are forecast to increase 4.8% this year.

Read also: Selective investing is key as real estate opportunities abound: market outlook forum

In any case, Singapore’s position as a hub for technology, professional services and other knowledge-intensive businesses gives it an advantage as AI adoption accelerates, said Natalie Craig, chief executive of Cushman & Wakefield Singapore.

“As businesses rethink how and where their people work, we expect demand to become more selective, thereby putting an even greater premium on quality, connectivity and adaptability,” she added.

## Chinese translation

> Translation model: openai_codex_cli

### AI 将重塑而非削减新加坡甲级办公楼需求：C&W

C&W 分析预测，即使在所测试的最具颠覆性的 AI 情景下，到 2030 年新加坡 CBD 甲级办公楼空置率仍将低于 5%。

根据 Cushman & Wakefield 的说法，尽管 AI 的采用日益增长，势将重塑企业使用工作场所的方式，但不太可能显著降低新加坡甲级办公空间的需求。

在一份题为《AI Impact: Office Insights Singapore》的 9 月研究报告中，这家房地产服务公司研究了截至 2030 年 AI 采用对新加坡经济、劳动力和商业房地产的潜在影响。

该研究考察了四种情景，这些情景对 AI 采用速度以及经济和劳动力市场影响作出不同假设。这些情景代表了一系列潜在结果：一端是由 AI 主导的生产力扩张推动办公空间需求增加，另一端则是由 AI 驱动的劳动力替代削弱租赁需求。

延伸阅读：五家建筑科技初创企业将在新加坡 Apac pitch day 展示创新

基于这些情景，到 2030 年，新加坡 CBD 甲级办公楼空置率预计将在 1.5% 至 4.9% 之间，而截至 2025 年底为 4.4%。与此同时，2030 年甲级办公楼租金变动幅度可能介于增长 6.5% 至下降 2.3% 之间。相比之下，2025 年租金增长了 2.2%。

Cushman & Wakefield 国际研究主管 Dr Dominic Brown 指出，这一结果范围显示优质办公楼市场具有“韧性”，空置率仍低于 5%。他表示：“这说明了为什么不能仅通过就业岗位来理解 AI 对房地产的影响——供应、生产力、业务增长以及工作场所角色的变化都很重要。”

在其研究建模的四种情景中，Cushman & Wakefield 提出了一种基准情景，假设稳步采用 AI 带来适度生产力提升，同时办公密集型行业持续招聘支撑就业水平保持稳定。

在这一背景下，该公司预计，对更高品质工作空间的需求将得到强化，即使部分工作被 AI 取代。Brown 解释说：“随着例行活动日益自动化，工作场所预计将在协作、创新和客户互动方面发挥更大作用。”

因此，随着更多企业转向更优质的工作空间，向优质资产迁移的趋势可能会扩大优质与非优质工作空间之间现有的差距。根据 Cushman & Wakefield 的数据，截至 2026 年，甲级办公楼相较乙级办公楼的租金溢价为 48%，高于 2019 年的 34%。

与此同时，新的优质办公楼供应仍然有限，这将进一步支撑甲级办公楼市场。Cushman & Wakefield 预计，CBD 甲级办公楼空置率将在今年年底收紧至 3.7%，并在 2029 年之后降至 2% 以下。与此同时，预计今年租金将上涨 4.8%。

延伸阅读：市场展望论坛：房地产机会充裕，选择性投资是关键

无论如何，Cushman & Wakefield Singapore 首席执行官 Natalie Craig 表示，随着 AI 采用加速，新加坡作为科技、专业服务和其他知识密集型企业枢纽的地位赋予其优势。

她补充说：“随着企业重新思考员工如何以及在哪里工作，我们预计需求将变得更具选择性，从而使品质、连接性和适应性获得更高溢价。”