Corporate real estate (CRE) leaders aren’t struggling to see what’s coming next. Across the industry, the direction is increasingly clear. Artificial intelligence, data intelligence, and evolving workplace expectations are reshaping how organizations think about their portfolios and the role real estate plays in business strategy.

Recent research from CoreNet Global and Colliers underscores just how significant that shift has become. AI and automation are now the leading drivers of change in corporate real estate, cited by more than half of respondents globally. At the same time, workplace, portfolio, and data strategies are becoming more interconnected, signaling a move toward a more integrated and strategic approach to managing real estate.

The findings are based on insights from more than 1,000 corporate real estate professionals across CoreNet Global’s recent global Summits.

In many ways, the industry has moved beyond identifying what matters. CRE leaders understand the forces shaping the future and where they need to focus. But turning that awareness into consistent, scalable action is proving to be a much more complex challenge.

The Industry Knows What Matters

For many organizations, digital transformation is already underway. AI, automation, and smart building technologies are being incorporated into portfolio planning, operations, and workplace management. At the same time, shifting workforce dynamics continue to influence how space is designed and used, as hybrid work models and evolving employee expectations reshape the role of the workplace.

Taken together, these trends point toward a more data-driven, responsive, and experience-focused model of corporate real estate. Yet despite this momentum, most organizations are still in the early stages of execution.

Across regions, roughly half of respondents report feeling only “somewhat ready” to innovate. And while the intent to innovate is strong, translating that intent into consistent execution remains a work in progress. According to the CoreNet Global and Colliers research, just 21% of organizations say they have a well-defined framework for implementing innovation, while nearly half report only a partially developed approach.

Where Execution Starts to Break Down

This gap between ambition and execution is where many CRE teams are feeling the most pressure. Innovation is happening, but often in isolated ways—through pilot programs, individual initiatives, or specific use cases—rather than as part of a coordinated, organization-wide strategy. Without the structure to scale those efforts, progress can stall before it delivers meaningful impact.

The barriers themselves are not surprising. Financial constraints remain the most commonly cited challenge, followed by limited time and capacity and organizational resistance to change. What is different now is the pace and complexity of change. CRE teams are being asked to adopt new technologies, rethink workplace strategy, and optimize portfolios simultaneously, often within operating models that were not designed for this level of transformation.

At the same time, the nature of innovation in CRE is becoming more interconnected. The convergence of portfolio strategy, workplace experience, and data intelligence means that progress in one area increasingly depends on alignment across all three. This shift raises the stakes for execution. It is no longer about implementing a single tool or initiative, but about building a coordinated approach that connects data, space, and strategy.

Turning Insight Into Action

Looking ahead, the opportunity is not just to innovate, but to operationalize innovation more effectively. The findings point to a clear need for more repeatable structures—frameworks that allow organizations to move beyond one-off initiatives and scale innovation across the enterprise. That starts with alignment, bringing together portfolio, workplace, and data strategies to create a more unified view of how space is used and how decisions are made.

Technology will continue to play a central role. In fact, 80% of respondents in the CoreNet Global and Colliers report identified the technology sector as the leading force driving innovation globally, reflecting the growing influence of AI, digital infrastructure, and data-driven operations on CRE strategy. But technology alone will not determine outcomes. The organizations that see the greatest impact will be those that can translate insights into action and build the internal capabilities to execute consistently.

Corporate real estate is at an inflection point. The forces shaping the industry are well understood, and the path forward is becoming clearer. Organizations that successfully integrate AI, data intelligence, and workplace strategy will be better positioned to unlock value from their portfolios and adapt to what comes next.

What will ultimately set leaders apart is not their ability to identify trends, but their ability to act on them. In today’s environment, innovation is expected, but execution is what will define success.