New research from Sony finds future-proofing technology investments, including AI readiness, is the top-ranked challenge in designing modern workspaces
Organisations are grappling with the death of the “average office”. While demand for display technology rises, the growing variety in what workplaces require also creates a need for a broader range of display sizes and specifications.
That is according to new research from Sony Professional Displays and Solutions Europe among decision-makers responsible for AV purchasing. It is a wake-up call for anybody still buying workplace technology on outdated office norms.
In the UK, 91% say demand for workplace AV and display technology has increased over the past three years (compared to the European average of 87%), with 38% saying it’s increased significantly. At the same time, 79% say technology requirements now vary more across projects, spaces and use cases than they did five years ago (compared to 68% across Europe). This illustrates how technology purchasing is changing as traditional office layout gives way to more varied spaces.
The mixed-use office takes shape
The modern workplace isn’t built around one type of space anymore. Organisations are equipping rooms for collaboration, learning and flexible use, each with different technology demands. In the UK, nearly three quarters (71%) of respondents cited training and learning spaces as areas seeing the most technology investment, followed by meeting rooms (58%) and flexible or multipurpose spaces (50%).
That variety carries through to the technology inside those spaces. More than half (54%) of UK respondents say that a broader range of display sizes is now needed within a single workplace or project, while 58% cite rising demand for higher-spec displays and 37% see demand shifting towards more affordable mid-range solutions. Demand is simultaneously moving up and down the range, reflecting how a single workplace can now require very different displays within the same project.
AI raises the stakes
AI adds a further layer of uncertainty as organisations redesign their workspaces to suit modern work. It’s the leading reason organisations are investing in workplace technology, with 45% of UK respondents (and 50% across Europe) saying that AI and automation are their top priorities, more than any other driver. At the same time, 58% say future-proofing those investments, including getting ready for AI, is one of their biggest challenges in designing modern workspaces. Organisations are committing budget now to technology that’s still taking shape.
Respondents expect AI to keep setting the pace. Over the next two years, 61% name AI-enabled collaboration as one of the technologies that will see the biggest growth in investment, making it the highest-ranked response. And 54% believe AI-enabled workplace technology will be the single biggest trend over that period.
Building on years of research
Sony has been tracking the demise of the traditional office for years. In 2022, half of the office workers Sony surveyed across Europe wanted employers to offer the flexibility to work asynchronously. A year later, 82% of office workers said their office tech set-up needed improvement, and even then, there was no single way of working: 31% worked completely flexibly, 26% were entirely office-based and most of the rest went in on set days or a fixed number of days. Energy efficiency is now all but non-negotiable. In 2024, around 8 in 10 corporate AV professionals said they’d pay over 20% more for products that are made more sustainably or are more energy efficient. This year, 97% of decisionmakers in the UK and across Europe say energy efficiency is important when selecting workplace display solutions.
Designing for what’s next
Adam Dover, Senior Trade & Corporate Marketing Manager, Sony Professional Displays and Solutions Europe, said: “The traditional office is gone. Organisations still specifying as if it exists are setting themselves up to rip and replace every few years. Every space must serve a different purpose, and AI is shifting the ground as they plan.
“Our advice for organisations is to choose technology that can be updated and managed remotely, instead of locking your budget into something that’s quickly obsolete. That’s why flexibility matters more than any single specification, and why at Sony we start with how a space will be used, not with a product.”
This year’s findings form the basis of The Anywhere Workspace, Sony’s latest report on dynamic working, that explores how workplace technology needs are changing across Europe. The full report can be downloaded here.
Methodology
The research was conducted by Obsurvant, commissioned by Sony, between 27 August and 3 September 2026. 458 decision-makers with audio-visual equipment purchasing responsibility at manager level or above, working in office-based organisations across the UK, Germany and France, took part.
Previous Sony research referenced: Sony’s 2022 future of work research was conducted by 3Gem among 3,000 office workers in the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Poland. State of Offices 2023 was conducted by Censuswide among 2,585 white-collar workers, business leaders and CEOs in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Denmark and Sweden. AV Procurement: The Sustainability Audit (2024) was conducted by Censuswide among more than 1,000 corporate AV professionals in the same eight countries.
About Sony Corporation
Sony Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation and is responsible for the Entertainment, Technology & Services (ET&S) business. With the mission to “create the future of entertainment through the power of technology together with creators,” we aim to continue to deliver Kando* to people around the world. For more information, visit: http://www.sony.net/
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