The sun could be setting on the era of glaring fluorescent lights in the office—the virtual sun, that is.

Improved, and potentially more healthful, lighting is high on the list for companies and building owners trying to entice employees back to offices after an era of remote work.

This week, Ray A. Smith reports on some of the technologies that are being developed.

Light can have an impact on nonvisual brain function during cognitive tasks, particularly those that involve sustained attention, research shows.

Some companies have adopted adjustable illumination systems designed to sync with employees’ circadian rhythms. 

Elsewhere, builders are installing lighted passageways, AI-controlled windows that adjust automatically in response to outdoor conditions, and other customizable systems.

Yet office-wide lighting revamps are expensive, and it could take time for them to become mainstream. Installing some of these technologies can add 20% to 30% to the cost of a project, those in the industry say.

More on this topic:

• How the science of color boosts productivity at work. (Read)
• From WSJ's archives: How workplace technology has changed over the years. (Read)
• Working from home could be great—with these new features. (Read)

🤔 Does lighting in your workplace—or other design elements—affect your productivity? How? Send me your thoughts, questions and predictions by hitting "reply" to this email.

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Last week, we reported on one Massachusetts Institute of Technology economist who argued that humans can choose whether AI helps humans or replaces them. Readers shared their thoughts on whether AI will hurt workers or help them in coming years:

• “Human nature often meets new technology with fear and hesitation, rather than open arms. Decades ago, computers were seen as a threat to human jobs, yet they ultimately became powerful tools that revolutionized productivity in the workplace. I believe AI is on a similar trajectory—when embraced and leveraged thoughtfully, it has the potential to significantly amplify human potential rather than replace it.”—Tomer Amrani, Washington
• “AI will inevitably go in the direction of the money. AI doesn't care about what is morally ‘right’ for people; it only cares about what is right for the profit line.”—Mike Pflieger, Ohio
• “If AI’s future is up to us, then what comes next will be a political process. Obviously that worries people. Who will make those choices? Will some cabal be running it, or if it’s through popular will, how will the people be adequately informed to make choices with the results they want?”—Andrew Wolfe, Louisiana

(Responses have been condensed and edited.)

• Eyeglasses that display real-time speech transcriptions are a game-changer for people with hearing loss. (The New Yorker)
• Inside the controversial tree farms powering Apple’s carbon-neutral goal. (MIT Technology Review)
• Uber and Volkswagen aim to deploy their autonomous ID Buzz vans next year. (Bloomberg)

Thanks for reading The Future of Everything. We cover the innovation and tech transforming the way we live, work and play. This newsletter was written by Conor Grant. Get in touch with us at future@wsj.com.

See more from The Future of Everything at wsj.com/foe.