Cushman & Wakefield has launched its AI Impact Barometer, a new data-driven model designed to measure how artificial intelligence is moving from experimentation into core economic infrastructure, with tangible impacts across industries, capital flows and physical assets.
Positioned as Australia’s first structured, data-led view of AI’s real-world impact, the Barometer aggregates signals across adoption, investment, labour markets and infrastructure to track how AI is influencing both the broader economy and commercial real estate.
At its core are “AI momentum scores”, translating complex datasets into a clear read on where AI is accelerating growth, stabilising, or creating disruption across sectors.
“AI is poised to become a structural force in the Australian economy,” said Dominic Brown, Head of International Research, Global Think Tank at Cushman & Wakefield. “The AI Impact Barometer gives a clear, data-led view of where that shift is driving growth and how it is showing up in the real world.”
AI adoption increasing across Australia
Early signals from the Barometer show:
- An increase in AI adoption by Australian’s and Australian businesses since the second half of 2025
- Sustained demand for data centres, underpinned by AI compute requirements
- A divide beginning to emerge in office and industrial markets as CRE must be able to accommodate occupiers’ tech adoption
These measurable data-backed signals are indicative of AI’s nascent impact on the demand for infrastructure, energy and space.
Turning AI signal into strategy
The AI Impact Barometer is a tool to help organisations track AI’s impact in real time, providing clarity to strategic decision making. -
“Businesses are grappling with what is real versus what is noise when it comes to AI,” said Sean Ellison, Associate Director, Economics & Forecasting at Cushman & Wakefield and co-author of the report.
“This tool is about bringing structure to that uncertainty. By focusing on measurable signals we can track how AI is actually influencing economic activity and where that impact is accelerating.”
The model consolidates multiple indicators into a unified framework, with each indicator being backed by a detailed thesis. This framework enables users to:
- Identify emerging opportunities tied to AI growth
- Monitor risks from overinvestment or shifting demand
- Track sector performance in real time
- Inform capital allocation strategy
Why it matters for Australia’s tech ecosystem
The Barometer underscores that although Australia is still in the early days of AI adoption, it has beginning to accelerate and more capital is being diverted towards the sector to support infrastructure buildout. Comparing the Australian Barometer to the earliest adopters of AI in the Americas, it is evident that adoption can quickly translate into real economic impacts. To monitor this, the Barometer tracks:
- Divergent labour market outcomes
- Business investment and productivity growth
- Demand for energy and AI infrastructure, including data centres
Mr Ellison said “The US experience shows us how AI adoption cascades into real economic impacts that flow on to commercial real estate markets. We are already starting to see this in data centres in Australia, and in the other sectors we know where to look and what to watch for.”
The AI Impact Barometer forms part of a broader global research initiative, with ongoing updates planned throughout 2026 to track how AI adoption evolves and where its economic impact is accelerating.
To learn more visit here: AI impact barometer
