Is AI Really Saving Us Time at Work? Think Again.

Is artificial intelligence genuinely helping us at work, or is it just adding more to our plate? A new study conducted in Denmark paints a less rosy picture than we might have hoped. Though software like ChatGPT is designed to make work easier and save time, in reality, they often create new tasks that didn’t exist before—and sometimes even lead to a decrease in productivity.

The research, carried out by economists from the University of Chicago and the University of Copenhagen, examined over 25,000 employees across 7,000 workplaces in Denmark. The focus was mainly on 11 fields considered particularly sensitive to automation, such as accounting, software development, and customer service. The researchers discovered that 8.4% of workers reported new tasks emerging due to the introduction of AI, even if they themselves hadn’t used these tools.

For instance, teachers report spending hours identifying unfair use of chatbots by students, while other employees find themselves drafting precise instructions or checking the quality of AI-generated outputs. These are entirely new tasks that require time, concentration, and effort.

The most surprising finding: actual time saved during work stands at just about 2.8%—approximately one hour per week. This contrasts with previous studies that claimed a 15% increase in productivity thanks to AI usage.

Anders Humlum, one of the study’s authors, explains that the gap arises because prior studies examined tasks at which AI excels, but in the real world, most workers perform a complex mix of tasks—some of which AI simply cannot handle effectively at present.

Nonetheless, the researchers cautiously note that the integration of AI in workplaces is still in its early stages. It’s possible that in the future, as systems mature and become better adapted, we’ll see real improvements in productivity. But for now, it seems the digital revolution hasn’t quite lived up to the hype.