Gensler has published its 2026 Global Workplace Survey, covering more than 16,400 office workers across 16 countries, and one finding stands out. Workers who use AI tools most regularly are also the most connected to their colleagues.
Gensler classifies 30 per cent of employees as AI Power Users, people who regularly use AI tools both professionally and personally. These workers spend less time in solo work (37 per cent of their day) compared to those who rarely use AI (42 per cent). They also spend more time in learning activities (12 per cent compared to 8 per cent) and more time socialising with colleagues (11 per cent compared to 9 per cent). The report found that AI power users reported stronger team relationships than their peers who have not yet adopted the tools.
This runs counter to the fear narrative that has followed AI into workplaces. When workers are surveyed about their concerns around AI at work, two of the most common responses involve dehumanisation and the erosion of human connection. The Gensler data suggests the opposite is possible when people are properly equipped. The survey also found that office attendance has remained stable, with workers spending 55 per cent of their working week in offices and expressing interest in spending even more time there.
The implication for business owners is worth considering. The data does not say AI makes work more human on its own. It says that when workers are equipped with the tools and given the time to use them, AI tends to free up capacity for the work that requires human presence. The workers who are struggling with AI are not always the ones who have been replaced. They are often the ones who have been given a new tool without the support to understand why it is there and what it changes for their role.
How you introduce AI to your team shapes what the experience of using it feels like. The businesses getting this right are starting with their people, not their systems.
Read the Gensler 2026 Global Workplace Survey
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