AI could save workers 12 hours per week: report

Thanks to artificial intelligence (AI), workers will be able to save up to 12 hours per week at work, according to a recent report.

In the next year alone, workers will be able to save four hours per week thanks to the technology – equating to 200 hours annually, reports Thomson Reuters.

Overall, 77% of professionals now predict AI will have a high or transformational impact on their work over the next five years, up 10 percentage points from last year. In addition, 79% anticipate innovation at their companies will increase.

“Professionals no longer need to speculate on the potential for AI to impact their work as they are now witnessing its effects firsthand. As we look to the future, one thing is clear: AI-empowered professionals and their companies will outpace those who resist this transformative era,” says Steve Hasker, president and CEO, Thomson Reuters. 

“With professionals predicting that AI will save them up to 200 hours in the next year, the potential economic impact is significant. For a U.S. lawyer, the time saved could translate to up to $100,000 a year in additional billable time, and we can expect similar productivity gains across other professions.”

More than 90 per cent of the Canadian workforce could have their working hours reduced by 10 per cent with the adoption of large language models (LLM) in the workplace by 2034, Work Time Reduction Centre of Excellence (WTRCoE) and U.K. research group Autonomy previously reported.

Why are people hesitant to use AI?

Currently, 63 per cent of workers are already using AI-powered technologies as a starting point for tasks, with research, summarization, and drafting cited as the most common use cases, according to Thomson Reuters’ survey of 2,200 from April to May 2024.

However, 37 per cent have not tried the technology in their work. That’s because many are unsure what type of work the technology can be used for (35 per cent) and are unsure how to access it (28 per cent).

Also, 57 per cent say certification processes for AI systems should be introduced. And 55 per cent believe professional or industry bodies should be tasked with developing these standards.

“The responsible use of AI is crucial, with nearly two-thirds of professionals stressing human oversight. As we navigate this change, we must remember the future of AI is ours to shape,” says Hasker.

Under Budget 2024, Ottawa is investing $50 million over four years to provide skills training for workers in sectors disrupted by AI.

How to prepare workers for AI?

Here’s how employers can prepared their workers for AI use, according to the Brian R. Spisak, independent consultant at the California Management Review:

• Invest in AI Training: Allocate resources for continuous training programs that enhance everyone’s understanding of AI, promoting a leadership team and a workforce equipped to navigate the opportunities and challenges of AI.
• Prioritize Ethical AI Policies: Develop and implement robust ethical AI policies within the organization, emphasizing transparency, fairness, and accountability in AI adoption.
• Embrace Responsible Adoption Practices: Advocate for and use responsible AI adoption practices which emphasizes thorough testing, risk assessment, employee reskilling and upskilling, and adherence to safety guidelines throughout the AI transformation process.
• Encourage Cross-Functional Collaboration: Foster collaboration between technical teams and non-technical stakeholders to ensure a holistic understanding of AI implications and ethical considerations at all levels of the organization.
• Promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in AI Adoption: Encourage diverse perspectives and inclusive practices in teams tasked with choosing AI-powered tools, recognizing the importance of varied viewpoints in mitigating biases and ensuring equity in AI outcomes.
• Build Industry Alliances for Responsible AI: Collaborate with leaders from other organizations within the industry to establish alliances that collectively demand responsible AI products and services from suppliers.

Half of Canadian employers think workers are not prepared to use AI, according to a previous report.