Digital connectivity is a priority for building operators as organizations seek more capable infrastructure to power AI systems and occupants seek reliability and speed from networks, according to a survey of over 6,000 wireless professionals by Cisco. The trend is leading to the deployment of new Wi-Fi and distributed antenna systems, Cisco says. Wi-Fi is seen as a strategic growth engine for many organizations, the company says. Three-quarters of professionals surveyed said they’re seeing operational gains, employee productivity improvements or enhanced customer experience, and about two-thirds said they’re seeing positive revenue impacts from wireless investments. “The business case for Wi-Fi investment is now undeniable,” Cisco says. The company notes that as AI applications become more important, Wi-Fi delivers a “multiplier effect” with strategic wireless investments providing a number of benefits across organizations. About 80% of organizations increased wireless investment over the past five years, while 82% expect wireless budgets to continue rising. But to capture the opportunities of wireless, organizations need to reconsider whether their infrastructure can support their business needs, Cisco says in its 2026 State of Wireless report. Digital connectivity is also now a value driver, with U.S. buildings certified by WiredScore achieving average rental premiums of $6.50 per square foot and vacancy rates around 3.8%, according to the global certification organization’s 2026 Global Cities Resilience Index. While organizations achieve compounding returns on wireless investments across the enterprise, the opportunity comes with mounting complexity, heightened security threats and talent shortages, Cisco says. AI-generated attacks, often from IoT devices, have become the leading driver of wireless security threats, the survey found. About a third of organizations say they’ve experienced financial losses from wireless security incidents attributable to compromised IoT or operational technology devices. That represents “a substantial threat to Wi-Fi as the most common connectivity technology for IoT,” the