ActivTrak report finds AI users work up to 90 minutes longer per day

Workers who regularly use artificial intelligence tools worked longer days than non-users, according to a report by ActivTrak. The company analyzed digital work activity from more than 9,000 employees at 467 companies between April 1 and September 25, 2026.

The report found that AI users’ workdays averaged 8.4 to 9.1 hours, compared with 7.6 hours for non-users—a difference of up to 90 minutes a day. “Heavy” users, defined as people who used AI tools for more than 45 minutes across at least five sessions a day, spent an additional 18 minutes working after hours compared with non-users.

Heavy users switched between applications more often and had shorter periods of uninterrupted focus. Meetings took up 3% of their workday, compared with 5% for non-users.

Among heavy users, software engineers averaged 0.6 application switches per hour and spent 78.5% of active time in core coding applications. Operations managers spent 75.5% of active time in core applications and averaged 1.1 application switches per hour, rising to 4.1 during periods of heavy coordination.

“AI may help employees complete tasks faster, but our research shows it contributes to longer workdays, more application switching and shorter focus sessions,” Gabriela Mauch, ActivTrak’s chief customer officer and head of its Productivity Lab, said. She said the goal for leaders “can’t simply be AI usage” and that they should assess whether it produces measurable gains in productivity, efficiency and business performance.