ActivTrak Study: Heavy AI Users Work Up to 90 Minutes Longer Daily With More App Switching
A new ActivTrak study reveals that despite promises of efficiency, heavy AI users actually work up to 90 minutes longer per day and experience more fragmented attention.
Workplace analytics firm ActivTrak has published a new study finding that employees who regularly use AI tools are actually working up to 90 minutes longer every day than those who do not. The research analyzed digital work activity from over 9,000 employees at 467 companies between April 1 and September 25, 2026.
The data shows that the average workday for AI users spanned 8.4 to 9.1 hours, compared to 7.6 hours for non-users. "Heavy" AI users—defined as those using AI tools for more than 45 minutes across at least five sessions a day—also spent an additional 18 minutes working after hours. Furthermore, these users were found to switch between applications more frequently and had shorter periods of "uninterrupted focus" than other workers.
However, the report noted one silver lining: heavy AI users spend significantly less time in meetings, which accounted for just 3% of their day, compared to 5% for non-users. Software engineers and operations managers were identified as among the highest AI users.
"AI may help employees complete tasks faster, but our research shows it contributes to longer workdays, more application switching and shorter focus sessions," said Gabriela Mauch, chief customer officer and head of the ActivTrak Productivity Lab. She advised leaders that the goal cannot simply be AI usage, but rather treating it as a means to measurable gains in productivity and business performance.