AI is changing how coworking businesses operate

Artificial intelligence is moving beyond content generation and productivity tools into the daily operations of businesses.

From responding to customer inquiries to scheduling appointments and managing sales follow-ups, AI-powered agents are increasingly being designed to handle tasks that traditionally required human intervention.

Now, the technology is entering the coworking industry on a larger scale.

Vast Coworking Group, the parent company of Venture X, announced a partnership with AI technology company Uniti on October 6, 2026, to introduce 24/7 AI agents across its U.S. franchise network.

The partnership gives franchise owners operating under Venture X, Office Evolution, and Intelligent Office access to AI-powered tools designed to respond to prospective customers and existing members through phone calls, text messages, email, and web chat.

The technology integrates with HubSpot, the customer relationship management platform already used by participating locations.

The goal is to help coworking operators respond more quickly to inquiries, improve customer engagement, and identify revenue opportunities outside traditional business hours.

What are Uniti’s AI agents?

Unlike traditional chatbots that typically respond to predefined questions, agentic AI systems are designed to carry out multistep tasks and support ongoing business workflows.

Uniti develops AI agents specifically for real estate and coworking operators.

Through the Vast partnership, these agents can assist with interactions across the customer lifecycle, including initial inquiries, workspace tours, meeting room requests, and membership renewals.

For example, a prospective customer searching for office space late at night could contact a Venture X location and receive an immediate response rather than waiting until the following morning.

The AI agent could answer initial questions, collect relevant information, and help schedule a tour.

For existing members, the technology can support meeting room confirmations and renewal follow-ups.

The integration with HubSpot allows these interactions to fit into the locations’ existing customer management workflows.

How the AI-powered customer journey works

1. Customer inquiry

A prospect contacts a coworking location through voice, SMS, email, or web chat.

2. AI-powered response

Uniti’s agent answers questions and helps move the conversation forward, including outside business hours.

3. Tour or service coordination

The agent can assist with tour bookings, meeting room confirmations, or renewal follow-ups.

4. CRM integration

The customer interaction is supported through the location’s HubSpot workflow.

The announcement describes these as supported capabilities. It does not establish that every franchise location has fully deployed every feature.

Nearly half of closed deals started after hours

One of the most notable findings from Vast Coworking Group’s announcement involves the timing of customer inquiries.

According to company-reported data from locations already using Uniti, nearly half of closed deals originated outside traditional business hours.

47.6%

Of closed deals began as after-hours inquiries

45.8%

Of total inquiries arrived after hours

~26%

Higher conversion rate for after-hours leads

Source: Vast Coworking Group, October 6, 2026. Early company-reported figures from locations already using Uniti; not independently audited.

The company defines after-hours inquiries as those received before 9 a.m., after 5 p.m., or on weekends.

It reported that these inquiries converted at a rate approximately 26% higher than those received during standard business hours.

The findings suggest that prospective coworking customers may be actively researching workspace options when traditional sales teams are unavailable.

For coworking operators, responding quickly during those periods could create an opportunity to engage prospective members before they move on to another provider.

However, the figures should be interpreted carefully.

Vast did not disclose the sample size, baseline conversion rate, or methodology behind the comparison. The early results also do not establish that AI alone caused the higher conversion rate.

Nevertheless, the data provides insight into why coworking operators are investing in automated customer engagement.

A new approach to sales and customer experience

Coworking businesses operate in a competitive environment where customers often compare several locations before making a decision.

Prospective members may evaluate pricing, office availability, meeting rooms, amenities, parking, location, and membership flexibility.

Responding to these inquiries promptly can be an important part of converting interest into scheduled tours and signed agreements.

AI agents offer a way to extend that responsiveness beyond the hours when employees are physically present.

For operators managing multiple locations, the technology could also help standardize initial customer communications and reduce the volume of repetitive administrative tasks.

Rather than replacing every interaction with automation, the technology may allow employees to devote more attention to activities that benefit from personal engagement, including building relationships with members, conducting tours, organizing events, and supporting community development.

The effectiveness of that approach will depend on how well AI systems are implemented and when customer interactions are transferred to human employees.

Venture X and the broader Vast Coworking network

Venture X is a premium flexible workspace brand offering private offices, coworking areas, meeting rooms, and professional business environments.

It operates within Vast Coworking Group alongside Office Evolution, Intelligent Office, and Intelligent Assistant.

Vast is headquartered in West Palm Beach, Florida, and describes itself as one of the largest coworking franchise networks globally.

The company is led by co-founder and CEO Jason Anderson.

In March 2026, private equity firm New State Capital Partners acquired Vast Coworking Group from United Franchise Group.

At the time of the acquisition, the network was reported to include more than 200 locations across approximately 2.7 million square feet, serving around 70,000 members.

The Uniti partnership represents another development in Vast’s strategy to strengthen franchise operations and support growth across its brands.

South Florida’s role in coworking innovation

The announcement also highlights South Florida’s presence in the evolving flexible workspace industry.

With Vast Coworking Group headquartered in West Palm Beach, the partnership connects a Florida-based franchise organization with Uniti, an AI technology company headquartered in New York City.

Uniti was founded by Yale classmates Francesco Decamilli and Emre Altinok and develops agentic AI technology for real estate operators.

The company’s platform is designed to work with existing business systems and support interactions across multiple communication channels.

The partnership illustrates how technology companies and established service businesses can collaborate to introduce AI into operational workflows.

For South Florida’s startup and entrepreneurial ecosystem, it is another example of how AI innovation is extending beyond traditional software companies into commercial real estate, hospitality, and business services.

Women in technology and coworking leadership

The growing adoption of AI in coworking also raises questions about how technology will affect professionals working in community management, operations, sales, and customer experience.

These roles often combine administrative responsibilities with relationship building, problem-solving, and in-person engagement.

Automating routine inquiries may create opportunities for employees to focus more heavily on strategic account relationships, community programming, and member retention.

However, organizations will need to consider employee training, technology oversight, and the importance of maintaining a personalized customer experience.

Vast’s leadership team includes women working across operations, finance, technology, partnerships, and franchise support.

Among them are Paula Mercer, Chief Operations Officer; Ozlem Soyturk, Chief Financial Officer; Darcy Masciotro, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships; and Sarah Kittel, Technology Manager.

Their roles reflect the range of leadership disciplines involved in operating and scaling a technology-enabled coworking business.

The company has not publicly attributed the Uniti partnership or its technical implementation specifically to these executives. Venture X

What comes next for AI-powered coworking?

The Vast–Uniti partnership is part of a broader movement toward integrating artificial intelligence directly into business operations.

For coworking operators, the next stage will involve determining how effectively AI agents support customer engagement at scale.

Key considerations include the accuracy of automated responses, the protection of customer information, the quality of CRM integrations, and the ability to transfer complex situations to human employees.

Franchise owners will also need to evaluate whether faster response times translate into sustained improvements in customer satisfaction, membership renewals, and revenue.

The early figures reported by Vast suggest that after-hours engagement is an area worth examining.

But the long-term value of the partnership will depend on how consistently the technology performs across different locations and customer needs.

For entrepreneurs and business leaders, the announcement offers a broader lesson: AI adoption is increasingly becoming a question of how technology can be integrated into existing customer journeys rather than simply added as a standalone tool.

As AI agents become more capable, industries built around personal relationships and physical experiences may find new ways to combine automation with human service.

For Venture X and the wider Vast Coworking network, the Uniti partnership marks another step toward that future.

Sources and further reading

• Vast Coworking Group — Official Uniti partnership announcement, October 6, 2026
• Franchising.com — Partnership coverage, October 7, 2026
• Venture X — Company information and leadership
• Bisnow — New State Capital Partners acquires Vast Coworking Group
• Uniti — AI platform for real estate operators

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This article is independent editorial coverage based on publicly available reporting. It is not sponsored by or affiliated with Venture X, Vast Coworking Group, Uniti, or the organizations mentioned.