Does generative AI save time at work?

The takeaway

More workers are using generative AI tools, using them more often, and saving more time because of them, according to new survey data in FRED.

The survey

Economists Alexander Bick, Adam Blandin, and David Deming built the Generative Artificial Intelligence Adoption Tracker using data from the Real-Time Population Survey (RPS). The RPS is a nationally representative online survey of working-age adults aged 18 to 64. Each quarter, employed respondents report how fast and how intensely they’re adopting AI technology both at work and outside of work.

The data

Our FRED graph above shows three data series from the generative AI adoption tracker: “Use Last Week for Work” (solid blue line), “Work Hours Assisted” (dashed green line), and “Time Savings” (dashed orange line)—all measured as a percent of employed adults (left axis) or percent of work hours (right axis).

All three lines trend steadily upward. The share of employed adults who used generative AI for work in the past week grew from 28.2% in Q3 2024 to 39.2% by Q2 2026, indicating adoption is broadening. The share of work hours assisted by generative AI grew from 4.1% to 6.3% over roughly the same stretch. Perhaps most importantly, the share of work hours saved thanks to AI assistance grew from 1.6% to 2.2%.

The summary

The information is based on how respondents self-report their “time saved,” so the measurements are inherently approximate. But these three data series together do tell a coherent story of AI adoption: More workers are trying generative AI, and the ones already using it are leaning on it more heavily. Rising time savings suggest AI is not just a novelty; it’s starting to free up real work hours. If this trend holds, generative AI could show up in broader productivity statistics in the years ahead.

How this graph was created: Search FRED for “Generative Artificial Intelligence, Use Last Week for Work: Employed Adults.” Click “Edit Graph” and select the “Add Line” tab. Search for “Generative Artificial Intelligence, Work Hours Assisted: Employed Adults” and click “Add Data Series.” Repeat the last step to search for and add “Generative Artificial Intelligence, Time Savings: Employed Adults.” Select the “Format” tab to customize line 2 and line 3 by selecting “Y-Axis position: Right.”

Suggested by Diego Mendez-Carbajo.