AI redesigns jobs, not cuts them: JLL study reveals business leaders expect workforce growth ahead

Rhea-AI Summary

JLL (NYSE: JLL) released findings from its 2026 Future of Work Survey of over 2,200 C‑suite and corporate real estate leaders in 21 countries, conducted between January and April 2026. According to JLL, 60% of senior leaders expect workforce growth and 60% expect AI to reinvent, rather than replace, human roles. The effect is most marked among more AI‑advanced organizations, which tend to favor full‑time hiring, invest in entry‑level talent and redesign roles to be enhanced by AI.

Only 15% of respondents are in the AI optimization phase, while 46% are monitoring AI trends and 40% are analyzing impacts on their real estate function. JLL highlights skills gaps in AI and analytics (36%), technology‑related portfolio risks such as cybersecurity (47%) and AI disruption (41%), and cost pressures as major barriers. The study outlines three main response strategies: operational optimization, strategic outsourcing and capability building.

News Market Reaction – JLL

-2.35%

7 alerts

-2.35% Session close to close

+2.1% Peak in 27 min

$14.94B Market Cap

0.1x Rel. Volume

In the Jul 14 session, JLL declined 2.35%, reflecting a moderate negative market reaction. Argus tracked a peak move of +2.1% during that session. Our momentum scanner triggered 7 alerts that day, indicating moderate trading interest and price volatility.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Market Context

Set against an AI-news history that averages only about 0.35% one-day moves, this workforce-focused ...

Analysis

Set against an AI-news history that averages only about 0.35% one-day moves, this workforce-focused survey would fit a pattern of muted price impact. With short positioning flagged as low and recent insider activity skewed to net selling, investors may watch whether execution costs or technology risks highlighted in the study influence sentiment into upcoming catalysts.

Key Figures

Workforce growth expectation: 60% AI role reinvention: 60% Survey respondents: over 2,200 +5 more

8 metrics

Workforce growth expectation 60% Senior business leaders expecting workforce growth

AI role reinvention 60% Leaders expecting AI to reinvent human roles rather than replace them

Survey respondents over 2,200 C-suite and CRE leaders in 2026 Future of Work Survey

Countries covered 21 Geographic scope of 2026 Future of Work Survey

AI impact on real estate portfolios 78% Respondents expecting AI to significantly change portfolio strategy

Preparing AI-ready spaces 31% Organizations actively redesigning spaces for human-AI collaboration

AI optimization phase 15% Respondents at optimizing stage of AI adoption

Cybersecurity and data privacy risk 47% Share citing cybersecurity and data privacy as a top portfolio risk

Previous AI Reports

5 past events · Latest: Oct 28 (Negative)

Same Type Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	24h Move	Catalyst
Oct 28	AI survey findings	Negative	-1.2%	Survey highlighted rapid AI uptake but low maturity and scaling challenges.
Aug 13	AI product launch	Positive	+4.6%	New Prism AI capabilities added to Prism platform to enhance operations.
May 28	AI product launch	Positive	+1.2%	Launch of JLL Property Assistant AI solution for property performance.
Nov 12	AI platform upgrade	Positive	-2.5%	Added AI capabilities to JLL Azara for data interaction and analysis.
Oct 29	AI platform launch	Positive	-0.4%	Introduced JLL Falcon AI platform and enhancements to JLL GPT assistant.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Pattern Detected

AI-tagged announcements have produced mixed reactions, with generally modest average moves but several positive product launches met by selling pressure.

Key Terms

cybersecurity, data privacy, key performance indicator (kpi), ai-driven workforce automation

4 terms

cybersecurity technical

"three of the top four portfolio risks are technology-related — including cybersecurity and data privacy"

Cybersecurity involves protecting computers, networks, and digital information from theft, damage, or unauthorized access. It is essential for safeguarding sensitive data and maintaining trust in digital systems, which matters to investors because strong cybersecurity reduces the risk of costly breaches and disruptions that can impact a company’s performance and reputation. Think of it as locking and safeguarding valuable information much like securing a safe to prevent theft.

data privacy regulatory

"three of the top four portfolio risks are technology-related — including cybersecurity and data privacy"

Data privacy is the practice of protecting people’s personal and sensitive information—like names, health details, financial records, or browsing habits—from unauthorized access or misuse. For investors, strong data privacy is like good locks and alarms on a business: it preserves customer trust and revenue, reduces the risk of fines and lawsuits, and lowers the chance of costly breaches that can hurt a company’s reputation and stock value.

key performance indicator (kpi) financial

"productivity goals, which is seen as a core CRE key performance indicator (KPI)"

A key performance indicator (KPI) is a measurable value that shows how well a company is achieving an important business objective, such as revenue growth, customer retention, or production efficiency. KPIs matter to investors because they turn broad goals into concrete numbers investors can track over time—like using a car’s speedometer to judge progress toward a destination—helping compare performance across periods or against peers.

ai-driven workforce automation technical

"leaders simultaneously cite the costs of executing these preferences as top concerns: AI-driven workforce automation"

AI-driven workforce automation is the use of artificial intelligence tools—like machine learning, natural language processing, and robotic process automation—to perform or assist tasks traditionally done by human workers, from data entry and customer service to decision support. It matters to investors because it can change a company’s cost structure, speed and scale of operations, and competitive position much like replacing a manual assembly line with automated machines, while also shifting execution risks, regulatory exposure, and capital needs.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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Global study finds organizations further in AI adoption anticipate workforce growth, prioritize full-time roles and focus on productivity

CHICAGO, July 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Despite concerns of AI-driven job losses, a new study from JLL (NYSE: JLL) finds that a majority of senior business leaders expect their workforces to grow (60%), not shrink (40%) – similarly, most expect AI to reinvent human roles (60%), rather than replace them (40%). JLL's 2026 Future of Work Survey finds this picture is more pronounced among the most AI-advanced organizations, which are utilizing technology as a workforce augmenter and focusing on strategic expansion— even though they recognize it will not be uniform and some jobs will still be cut. Hence, more than others, they lean toward hiring full-time employees, investing in entry-level talent and actively redesigning roles to be enhanced by AI rather than eliminated.

The biennial survey, conducted from January to April 2026, offers a comprehensive snapshot of the state of work through the lens of the key priorities, challenges and strategies of over 2,200 C-suite and CRE leaders across 21 countries. The 2026 survey found that despite 78% of respondents expecting AI to drive significant changes to their real estate portfolio strategy, only 31% are actively preparing to redesign spaces for human-AI collaboration and just 15% have reached the optimizing stage of AI adoption. The gap between what organizations believe and what they are doing defines the central challenge of the moment and it is being driven by critical tensions in terms of execution decisions, capabilities and budget constraints.

An Execution Barrier
While AI is generally expected to enhance human roles according to JLL's survey, most organizations are still examining the impacts on their organization, which leaves them in early stages of adoption. A small pool of respondents (15%) is in the optimization phase, moving beyond the pilot and scaling phases to actively prepare for the redesign of roles and places of work. However, the majority are in the monitoring and analysis stages, with 46% focused on tracking AI trends and 40% analyzing potential impacts on their CRE function. These CRE leaders are depending on workforce decisions as it relates to AI adoption in order to define their organizations' space transformations, creating a holding pattern that prevents forward progress.

"The public conversation around AI has been dominated by its impact on jobs and our research reveals that most companies are focused on the opportunities that come with AI," said Neil Murray, CEO of Real Estate Management Services at JLL. "Most forward-thinking leaders aren't just buying technology; they are investing in their people. They are pursuing a strategy of human-machine enhancement to create additional roles, boost productivity and drive sustainable growth."

The Capability Concern
AI is also requiring new skills and expertise from CRE teams for them to make an impact on their organizations, with skills gaps in AI, analytics and emerging technologies (36%) being cited as the top barrier in doing so in the next three to five years. Limited change management expertise (26%), organizational silos (25%) and measurement challenges (23%) further compound the problem.

This creates a "technology dilemma" that reflects the vulnerabilities of an increasingly connected and AI-driven business environment. Organizations must invest in advanced technology to achieve productivity goals, which is seen as a core CRE key performance indicator (KPI), beyond traditional cost metrics, according to C-suite respondents (46%). However, three of the top four portfolio risks are technology-related — including cybersecurity and data privacy (47%), technology/AI disruption (41%) and uncertainty around AI's impact on space (40%), with economic volatility and budget pressures (43%) being the other top concerns. This layering of competing priorities requires new, adaptive strategies to navigate a landscape where challenges converge.

"We are seeing a fundamental shift in what defines a high-performing company. It's no longer just about market position, size and scale – it's about becoming an AI-powered enterprise with the adaptability and organizational readiness to transform effectively amid continuous disruption," said Peter Miscovich, Global Future of Work Leader at JLL. "Leading organizations are demonstrating deeper integration between real estate, HR and technology to support their business strategies. These companies leverage data-driven AI decision intelligence to reimagine their workplaces for greater human performance and to achieve superior business outcomes. This fully integrated approach is the new blueprint for building a resilient enterprise that can thrive amid continuous disruption."

Affordability Over Aspiration
Nearly all organizations have clarified their office attendance policy and with productivity as a key priority among business leaders, there is increased importance of frontier workplace technology capabilities. Critical infrastructure such as advanced technology and AI support (46%) and reliable technology infrastructure (44%) are the top strategies in achieving employee productivity, surpassing physical space elements like adaptable spaces (31%) or wellbeing amenities (24%).

This renewed focus appears to shift the CRE function's attention away from cost optimization toward capability enablement, yet leaders simultaneously cite the costs of executing these preferences as top concerns: AI-driven workforce automation (39%), technology infrastructure requirements (32%) and energy escalation (44%).

This contradiction reveals three strategies for reconciling transformation ambitions with cost realities:

• Operational Optimization in markets or assets facing multiple constraints that will make transformation slow and uneven regardless of aspiration. When unavoidable costs materialize—rental rate increases, energy escalation, opex/CAM increases—organizations will cut discretionary investments despite stated preferences.

• Strategic Outsourcing when organizations recognize the gap between aspirations and internal capabilities—and choose to maintain strategic control while outsourcing execution.

• Capability Building for the leading organizations that will systematically resolve constraints before pursuing transformation. These organizations invest in upskilling, build change management capability, develop measurement tools and strengthen cross-functional collaboration. They accept that some capability investment may prove misaligned with eventual enterprise strategy but create adaptive capacity for the future.

For more news, videos and research resources on JLL, please visit JLL's newsroom.

About JLL
JLL (NYSE:JLL) is a leading global commercial real estate services and investment management company with annual revenue of $26.1 billion, operations in over 80 countries and a global workforce of more than 113,000 as of March 31, 2026. For over 200 years, clients have trusted JLL, a Fortune 500^® company, to help them confidently buy, build, occupy, manage and invest across a variety of industries and property types, including office, industrial, hotel, multi-family, retail and data center properties. Driven by our purpose to shape the future of real estate for a better world, we help our clients, people and communities SEE A BRIGHTER WAY. Powered by rich global datasets and leading technology capabilities, we provide coordinated, end-to-end delivery of real estate services for a broad range of global clients who represent a wide variety of industries. Through LaSalle Investment Management, we invest for clients on a global basis in both private assets and publicly traded real estate securities. For further information, visit jll.com.

Contact: Allison Olp
Phone: +1 312 228 3128
Email: Allison.Olp@jll.com

 

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SOURCE JLL

FAQ

What did the 2026 JLL (JLL) Future of Work Survey reveal about AI and job growth?

The survey found 60% of senior leaders expect workforce growth and 60% expect AI to reinvent, not replace, roles. According to JLL, AI‑advanced firms particularly favor expansion through full‑time hiring and role redesign rather than large‑scale job cuts.

How far along are organizations in AI adoption according to JLL's 2026 Future of Work Survey?

JLL reports only 15% of surveyed organizations are in the AI optimization phase. Most remain earlier: 46% monitor AI trends and 40% analyze impacts on corporate real estate, creating a holding pattern for workplace transformation decisions.

What are the main AI-related risks to real estate portfolios cited in JLL's 2026 study on JLL?

According to JLL, three of the top four portfolio risks are technology-related. Respondents highlight cybersecurity and data privacy (47%), technology and AI disruption (41%), and uncertainty around AI’s impact on space (40%) alongside economic volatility and budget pressures.

What skills gaps did JLL identify in its 2026 Future of Work Survey impacting AI in real estate?

The study identifies skills gaps in AI, analytics and emerging technologies (36%) as the leading barrier. According to JLL, additional obstacles include limited change management expertise (26%), organizational silos (25%) and challenges in measuring AI’s impact (23%).

How is AI influencing office and workplace strategy according to JLL (JLL) in 2026?

JLL states 78% of respondents expect AI to significantly affect real estate portfolio strategy, yet only 31% are preparing to redesign spaces for human‑AI collaboration. The survey suggests a strategy gap between expectations and active workplace transformation.

What strategies does JLL say organizations use to balance AI transformation goals with cost constraints?

According to JLL, organizations pursue three broad approaches: operational optimization in constrained markets, strategic outsourcing when internal capabilities are lacking, and capability building through upskilling, change management and better measurement tools to support future AI-enabled transformation.