What does AI itself say about the IT-Label?

Suppose you ask an AI model a simple question: as businesses increasingly rely on AI, cloud software and connected devices, which characteristics of an office building become more important? It is a neutral question. There is no hidden opinion in it, no conclusion it is being steered toward.

The interesting part is that the answer is fairly predictable. A language model draws on an enormous body of public knowledge about networks, connectivity and workplaces. The topics that surface this way turn out to be strikingly consistent. And they overlap significantly with the questions that are rarely asked upfront in commercial real estate.

This article is a thought experiment. Not to claim that AI validates the IT-Label, because a language model does not offer an independent judgment of your building. Rather, it shows that the same themes emerge as soon as you look at real estate through the lens of digital use.

What AI is likely to mention

Ask an AI model which building features will carry more weight as organizations work more digitally, and you will not get a list of office chairs and coffee corners. The answer addresses the invisible layer of a building.

The factors that consistently come up can be grouped as follows:

• reliable internet connections with sufficient bandwidth;
• balanced upload and download capacity;
• redundancy, so a single failure does not bring everything down at once;
• low latency where applications require it;
• solid mobile coverage, 4G and 5G, including indoors;
• robust internal cabling and scalability;
• cybersecurity, network segmentation and backup provisions;
• a reliable power supply as the foundation underneath all of it.

These are exactly the topics IT-Label wants to bring into the conversation within commercial real estate. Not because AI says IT-Label is right, but because the same development becomes visible as soon as you reason from a building's actual use. The overlap is not confirmation, it is an indication that the question is relevant.

Would a classification system add value?

Take the experiment a step further. Ask the follow-up question: if tenants have little insight in advance into a building's digital infrastructure, could an independent and understandable classification system add value there?

A logical answer names conditions, not certainties. Such a system can add value when it is developed independently, based on objective and measurable criteria, has sufficient technical depth, and makes different buildings comparable. It must be transparent about what is and is not assessed, translate technical information into understandable language, and make clear what the landlord delivers and what the tenant arranges independently.

And that is precisely why IT-Label is building an independent knowledge collective. A standard should not emerge because a single commercial party decides what good IT looks like. Its content must be fed by knowledge from IT, telecom, real estate, engineering and the daily practice of users. This makes clear what the IT-label actually is and what it deliberately is not.

AI describes in fine detail which digital characteristics matter for a building. It just cannot look into your meter cupboard.

AI exposes the blind spot

When an organization looks for office space, the conversation revolves extensively around square meters, workstations, rent, energy label, accessibility, parking spaces, climate installations, sustainability and amenities. All valid points, one by one.

But how often, before signing, is it actually asked which internet providers are available, what capacity can be delivered, whether there is redundancy, what mobile coverage looks like, what cabling is present, and what the tenant actually receives digitally? And above all: can that infrastructure grow along with the organization's digital use?

These questions are notably absent, even from the leasing brochure itself. A future-proof office is not just about energy, sustainability and square meters. Digital infrastructure is becoming increasingly decisive for how organizations can function at all.

What does AI mean for data consumption?

AI is not a standalone phenomenon. It is part of a much broader digitalization movement. Organizations use cloud software, video conferencing, digital telephony, IoT, security systems, online collaboration, large data sets and, increasingly, AI applications. Together, this forms a unique digital usage profile for every organization.

It is tempting to assume that AI automatically consumes enormous amounts of internet capacity. That is not quite accurate. Data consumption depends heavily on the application, the architecture and the way AI is deployed. A model that runs locally, a model in the cloud, and an application that continuously processes video material all place entirely different demands.

The important question for real estate, therefore, is not how much data AI uses, but how dependent an organization becomes on digital infrastructure. Two companies, each with a hundred employees, can have completely different digital needs. We ask tenants precisely how many square meters they need. Why do we still ask so little about their digital usage profile?

Translating this into the IT-labels

To make digital quality comparable, IT-Label works with a series of delivery levels. From high to basic, they look like this:

• IT1+ PREMIUM: a complete digital ecosystem;
• IT1 HIGH PERFORMANCE: high-quality digital infrastructure;
• IT2 PLUG & PLAY: a strong digital foundation;
• IT3 READY: basic provisions in place;
• IT4 CORE: primarily a digital connection point;
• IT5 SHELL: digital setup largely left to the user.

It is important to stress: a higher label does not automatically mean a building is better for every tenant. It is about the match. A user with limited digital requirements can function perfectly well in a building where certain provisions are arranged independently. A highly digitally dependent organization, on the other hand, needs redundancy, high capacity and a higher digital delivery level. So when a building is deliberately delivered as shell or core on certain aspects, that is not a shortcoming but a choice.

Seen this way, IT-Label does more than just show which digital infrastructure is present, it translates that into an understandable digital delivery level for both real estate and users.

Let AI be critical too

A fair experiment also asks about the objections. What are the risks or points of attention when developing an IT-Label for real estate? Here too, a sober analysis provides clear answers.

Technology changes quickly, so criteria need to be updated periodically. Different types of users have different needs, meaning a single standard can never cover everything. Measurement methods must be objective. A label must not create false certainty. The responsibilities of tenant and landlord must remain clear. And existing standards and certifications should not be unnecessarily duplicated.

These objections are not an argument against an IT-Label, but rather in favor of how it should be built. A future-proof standard is not built alone. It is built with the disciplines that understand it, and kept alive by continuously revising it.

The interesting paradox

Here the core of the experiment surfaces. AI itself cannot determine which building is AI-proof. A model does not know your organization, does not know a building's actual infrastructure, and does not automatically know the location, technical installations or future applications.

And perhaps that is the most important outcome. There is no simple, universal definition of an AI-proof office. Anyone who promises otherwise is selling false certainty.

That is why two questions need to be answered separately. First: what can the building handle digitally? And then: what does the user need digitally? The match between these two is becoming increasingly relevant, and that match is exactly what a classification can make transparent.

Frequently asked questions

What is an IT-Label for real estate?

The IT-Label is an independent classification methodology that makes a building's digital quality transparent and translates it into an understandable digital delivery level, from IT1+ PREMIUM to IT5 SHELL.

What makes an office AI-proof?

There is no fixed definition. It comes down to the match between what a building can handle digitally, such as bandwidth, redundancy and cabling, and what a specific organization needs digitally.

Why is digital infrastructure important for real estate?

Organizations are becoming increasingly dependent on cloud, connectivity and AI applications. Without reliable digital infrastructure, a building cannot support that way of working.

How do I know if an office has sufficient internet capacity?

Ask in advance about available providers, deliverable capacity, redundancy, mobile coverage and existing cabling. A classification such as the IT-Label makes that information comparable.

What is data consumption in an office?

This is the amount of data an organization consumes through cloud, video, IoT and other applications. It depends heavily on usage and architecture, not just the number of employees.

What is the difference between a smart building and digital infrastructure?

Digital infrastructure is the underlying layer of connections and cabling. A smart building uses that layer for smart applications. Without solid infrastructure, no smart function works reliably.

What digital infrastructure does AI need?

This varies by application, but reliable connections, sufficient bandwidth, low latency where needed, redundancy and secure networks are recurring requirements.

Take the first step: map out your digital profile

We are at the beginning of the AI transition. No one knows exactly how the digital use of offices will develop over the next ten years. But one trend is hard to ignore: our dependence on digital infrastructure is increasing.

Perhaps the interesting question, then, is not what AI says about IT-Label, but why we have not made digital infrastructure in real estate understandable and transparent much sooner. If you want to take that step, start with your own situation: map out what your building can handle digitally and what your organization needs. Read how the IT-label works in practice and explore more on AI and real estate in the knowledge base.

AI is changing how we work. IT-Label aims to make visible whether the place where we work can keep pace digitally. What you do not measure, you cannot improve. What you do not make transparent, you cannot compare. Let us make visible together what is still invisible today.