ActivTrak Study Finds AI Increases Employee Workloads
ActivTrak reports that AI adoption adds productivity layers rather than replacing tasks, leading to increased time spent on emails and messaging for employees.
A three-year study by workforce analytics firm ActivTrak reveals that artificial intelligence is increasing employee workloads instead of reducing them. Analyzing 163,638 employees across 1,111 organizations, the research found that AI serves as an additional productivity layer rather than a substitute for existing responsibilities.
The data shows significant time increases across several categories, including a 145% rise in chat and messaging, a 104% increase in emails, and a 94% jump in the use of business management tools. No work categories experienced a decrease in time spent.
At Amazon, corporate employees reported that the company's push for unreliable AI tools has added to their burdens. Staff must spend extra time correcting AI-generated errors while management continues to prioritize increased speed. Former Google executive Mo Gawdat noted that in a capitalist system, technology often increases human capabilities, which in turn creates more work rather than decreasing total labor.
