Key stat: 68% of AI-using employees in the UK and North America save 4 hours or less per week from AI, according to a November 2025 survey from Section.

Beyond the chart:

• The modest savings are landing just as AI use at work is taking off. Some 45% of US employees used AI on the job at least a few times a year in Q3 2025, more than double the 21% who said the same in Q2 2023, according to Gallup.
• Meanwhile, workers aren't waiting for the savings to arrive before preparing for the shift. 76% of employees plan to learn new AI skills in 2026, and 39% expect AI to affect their employment, according to Workera.

Use this chart: Drop this in your next AI investment or workforce planning meeting to reality-check productivity assumptions. Show leadership where actual time savings land versus what the tools promise, and use the breakdown to benchmark whether your organization's AI rollout is delivering above or below the median.

Related EMARKETER reports:

• Tech Trends to Watch in 2026 (EMARKETER subscription required)
• A Marketer's Guide to AI Agents 2025 (EMARKETER subscription required)

Methodology: Data is from the January 2026 Section report titled "The AI Proficiency Report." 5,000 knowledge workers in Canada, the UK, and the US were surveyed during September 26-November 3, 2025. Respondents were at companies with 1,000 or more employees. Section is an enterprise AI benchmarking and measurement platform.

We prepared this article with the assistance of generative AI tools and stand behind its accuracy, quality, and originality.