Recent research does indicate that, contrary to popular belief, artificial intelligence (AI) can actually increase employee workload rather than reduce it. This finding is important to include in your article to provide a more comprehensive and balanced view of AI’s real-world impact on work.

A new study by the University of Chicago’s Becker Friedman Institute has found that artificial intelligence (AI) is not changing the world of work as quickly as many people feared. According to the research, while AI tools like chatbots and language models are helping some workers save time, they are also creating new tasks, resulting in little overall change in work hours or salaries.

The study, which looked at data from 2023 and 2024, shows that workers using AI reported saving only about one to two hours in a typical 40-hour week. This means productivity gains are modest, and the extra time saved is often spent on other work, rather than reducing working hours or making jobs much easier.

AI Increasing Workload

However, additional global research highlights a more complex reality: a significant portion of employees actually report that AI has increased their workload. For example, a 2024 study by the Upwork Research Institute found that 77% of employees using AI said it added to their workload, with many spending extra time reviewing or moderating AI-generated content and learning how to use new tools. Specifically, 39% of employees reported spending more time checking AI outputs, 23% spent extra hours learning to use AI, and 21% were asked to work more as a result of AI implementation. This disconnect between the high expectations of company leaders and the day-to-day experiences of employees is contributing to challenges in achieving the anticipated productivity gains.

New Responsibilities

Interestingly, the research also found that about 8.4 percent of workers had to take on new responsibilities because of AI. These new tasks often involve checking and correcting AI outputs, learning new systems, or handling special cases where AI does not work well. So, instead of making work disappear, AI is sometimes adding to people’s to-do lists.

Despite all the talk about AI taking away jobs or changing the way we work, the study found no big impact on salaries or job security so far. Researchers say that even small changes in earnings or working hours could be ruled out by their data.

The experts behind the study believe that any major changes in the workplace due to AI will take more time. Companies and workers will need to invest more in learning how to use these new technologies properly before we see bigger effects.

For now, the study suggests that while AI is making some difference in offices and workplaces, it is not the revolution that many people expected. The Indian workforce, much like others around the world, can expect a gradual change rather than a sudden transformation from artificial intelligence.