Navigating the AI-enabled ‘less-paper’ workplace
September 16, 2025
Artificial Intelligence, Digital Transformation, Article, Trends
Quocirca’s Future of Work 2030 study explores how advancing digital maturity and artificial intelligence (AI) adoption are reshaping workplace dynamics and employee expectations, with a particular focus on the evolving hybrid landscape and the strategic role of print and document services.
The workplace of 2030 will be characterised by a dynamic blend of remote, hybrid, and in-office formats, with roughly a third of employees working hybrid and remote, a number that is steadily growing.
Hybrid working is deeply embedded
Hybrid working is deeply embedded, transforming the physical office into a hub for collaboration, productivity, and interpersonal contact, rather than solely individual work. This evolving model brings both opportunities and challenges for how we work, collaborate, and innovate.
Technology can play a vital role in the design of the physical space and how it supports employees working remotely, in terms of both enabling access to the same benefits available in person and strengthening teams, no matter where people are working.
A multi-generational workforce
Three generations are using workplaces, and they all have slightly different interpretations of what an effective working environment should comprise.
Given skills shortages and changing customer demographics, recognising and leveraging the strengths of a multi-generational workforce will be crucial. Meeting diverse workforce expectations and ensuring office design, culture, and technology across all locations address the needs of all generational groups will be key.
There is a clear need for workplaces to be sociable, dynamic, and human. For Gen Z and younger Millennials, it’s important that the office space offers reliable, fit-for-purpose technology and equipment that they may not have access to elsewhere. Older Millennials and Gen X value a more structured hybrid model, appreciating dedicated office space for focus and professional development as well as social interaction and networking. Boomers (where still in the workforce) generally have a stronger preference for traditional, dedicated office spaces that provide routine, established procedures.
Paper and print remain relevant
While the importance of paper documents is dropping, a true zero-paper productivity ecosystem remains a utopian ideal for many.
Paper and print continue to play a role in conducting daily business for the majority. Just over a third (35%) of business processes currently still involve paper, rising to 37% in the US and Germany and within the public sector.
The study finds that the push for a ‘less-paper’ rather than ‘paper-free’ office is fuelled by critical needs for efficiency, cost reduction, and sustainability.
AI is emerging as the most critical service
AI is now emerging as the most critical service to support the 2030 workplace. AI acts as a powerful catalyst to streamline document workflows through intelligent capture, automation, and data extraction, significantly boosting employee productivity.
Moreover, emerging threats such as quantum computing demand advanced print security measures, embedding AI to protect devices from compromise and safeguard sensitive information.
Organisations are at different stages of embracing AI. Respondents are acutely aware of the risks posed by AI, with data privacy and security emerging as the overwhelming primary concern.
Productivity in the AI workplace
Productivity in the AI workplace is shifting to enhanced human-AI collaboration and intelligent automation. On average, IT decision-makers expect their organisations to spend over a fifth of their overall IT budget on AI in the next 12 months. The most advanced are looking at investing around a third of their total IT spend on AI.
Organisations see a number of possible efficiencies and benefits, with overall productivity at the top of the list when it comes to the use of AI.
Sustainability is intrinsically linked with digitisation
The push for digitisation continues, with over half of respondents (54%) accelerating their plans. This is higher in the US (63%), the UK (62%), and mid-sized organisations (64%).
The transition to a sustainable workplace is intrinsically linked with digitisation, forming a crucial ‘twin transition’. By embracing digital processes, organisations significantly reduce their environmental footprint: less reliance on paper conserves natural resources, minimises waste, and cuts down on the energy- and water-intensive processes of paper production.
Beyond paper, digitisation enables smarter resource management through data analytics, allowing companies to optimise energy consumption in smart buildings or streamline supply chains, thereby reducing emissions and inefficiencies. It also facilitates remote and hybrid work models, dramatically lowering carbon emissions related to travel and shrinking the physical office’s environmental impact.
A profound transformation
For the office print sector, this outlook signals a profound transformation from providing output devices to becoming a crucial enabler of digital workflows and secure information within hybrid environments.
As print volumes decline, the value proposition shifts towards digitisation, with multifunction devices continuing to evolve into intelligent digital on-ramps for business processes. The focus must be on integrating advanced AI for document capture, intelligent routing, and data extraction, converting physical documents into actionable digital assets.
Sustainability, encompassing energy-efficient devices, circular economy practices, and comprehensive environmental reporting, will be a key differentiator. The future demands IT-centric managed services offerings that offer robust security, workflow automation, and data intelligence for an agile and decentralised workforce.
Needs and expectations from technology providers are shifting
The role of physical print is being redefined in an increasingly digital and AI-driven workplace. As a result, needs and expectations from technology providers are shifting.
Overall, 28% of IT decision-makers believe their strongest relationship for the print environment will be with IT service providers by 2030, compared to 23% for MPS providers and 12% for print manufacturers.
To ensure ongoing relevance, the print vendors must firmly establish themselves as technology providers within the evolving digital ecosystem. By anticipating the shifting needs of the modern office and continually innovating, the print industry can not only adapt but thrive, ensuring its critical role in helping organisations stay ahead in a digitally transformed world.
Find out more in Quocirca’s Future of Work 2030 study.
