AI Saves Employees 5 Hours A Week — But Who Really Benefits? | Autumn Krauss
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Close up hourglass measuring time, Indian businesswoman working
As AI rapidly reshapes the workplace, organizations are already starting to see real returns on their AI investments. It’s clear that relevant, reliable, and responsible AI isn’t just optimizing workflows — it’s giving people something invaluable back: time. A recent research survey* we conducted at SAP shows a few key findings about how time efficiencies gained with AI are playing out for the workforce today – and where they are headed.
How Much Time Are Employees Actually Saving With AI?
According to our research, more than half of the employees surveyed (58%) are saving time at work using AI tools. Employees report saving 52 minutes a day, or nearly five hours a week, on average. While another 23% reported they have not used any AI tools at work, the remaining 19% have used AI at work but didn’t experience any time savings due to learning curves or the complex nature of their tasks.
Do Employees “Own” The Time They Regain with AI?
With AI eliminating administrative tasks, helping employees find relevant information faster, and enabling more confident, data-driven decisions, employees may find themselves with less “busy work” and more bandwidth... but to do what, exactly? That’s still up for debate, especially as the question of who “owns” this reclaimed time—the organization or the individual—remains largely unanswered.
Nearly half of employees (46%) surveyed in our research believe that the time they save using AI at work belongs to them and not their company. However, most employees (77%) would still spend at least half of their reclaimed time on work-related activities, while the remaining 23% say they would spend time mostly on personal activities.
When asked how they would use their time back on work activities, if they were required to do so, employees reported the following:
- 54%: Spending more time on my work to make it better
- 54% Catching up on work I didn’t have time for
- 47% Doing more work tasks I find meaningful
- 47% Improving my work-related skills or knowledge
- 43% Doing more work tasks that I like to do
Should The Use of AI Impact Employee Compensation?
As AI changes how work gets done, it’s also reshaping how employees think about the value of their time. If given the choice about how to spend the time they save by using AI, 57% of employees would choose to use their extra time solely on work-related activities and keep their same pay. The remaining 43% of employees say they would accept a small pay cut for being able to use their extra time on personal activities; however, they’d only accept a 1-2% reduction, regardless of how much time they got back.
These findings suggest that employees don’t see AI as a shortcut to less work, but as a tool that enables them to do the same work, but better. Indeed, the results above indicated employees would most likely spend their reclaimed time improving the work products they already create. Rather than measuring value by hours worked, most employees believe their compensation should reflect their outcomes and impact, especially as AI frees up time for them to focus on more strategic work.
How HR Can Help Turn Time Saved into Impact – For Both the Business and Its Employees
As organizations navigate the question of who ultimately owns the time saved with AI— employees or the business—leading companies would be wise to not choose sides.
Discover HR’s guide to improving AI literacy and readiness across the business.
Instead, they should recognize AI’s potential to create value for both the business and its people. With half of workers around the world struggling with burnout, giving people time back through AI tools, and a say in how they use that time, isn't just a perk but a strategic imperative. With more time, employees can find better work-life balance, keeping them more energized and engaged. As a result, their organization will be more innovative and resilient in the long run.
HR leaders are uniquely positioned to guide this shift by reshaping how organizations think about and support the use of reclaimed time, making it easier for employees to turn saved hours into work that drives impact, fuels personal growth, and creates space for their own interests and well-being. Here’s how to get started:
- Set clear expectations. Communicate directly with employees about what they’re encouraged or expected to do with their regained time. Ambiguity causes uncertainty—clear guidance, even if it’s simply, “use the time as you choose,” fosters trust and alignment.
- Channel time savings into skill-building. Rather than debating who owns the time saved through AI, focus on how it can be used in ways that benefit both the organization and the individual. Directing reclaimed time toward strategic reskilling, upskilling, and AI literacy development can deliver long-term value for everyone, especially as workforce needs evolve faster than ever.
- Design work that’s more meaningful. Help teams use their reclaimed time to shift from reactive to reflective work—whether that’s deep thinking, collaboration, or more creative and human-centered tasks. The goal isn’t to do more work in less time, but better work that energizes employees and moves the business forward.
- Listen and evolve. Use sentiment analysis, behavior data, and ongoing feedback to understand the magnitude of the time savings that employees are experiencing and how they are redeploying that time, adapting strategies and communications as needed.
Discover HR’s guide to improving AI literacy and readiness across the business.
*This survey was conducted in partnership with Phronesis Partners (www.phronesis-partners.com) among 4,030 working adults across regions and industries, between 2 January and 27 January 2025.
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