AI Is Making Work Busier, Not Easier: Report Finds Weekend Hours, Email and Chat Soaring

Key findings

It has been reported that ActivTrak’s Productivity Lab—in its "2026 State of the Workplace" study—found that the rapid spread of artificial intelligence is reshaping work rhythms but not reducing workload. Reportedly analysing more than 1,000 companies and 443 million hours of digital work behaviour, the study shows average workday length fell by about 2% even as work became far more fragmented and intense. Weekend overtime jumped over 40%, with activity spikes recorded as early as 7:11 a.m. on Saturdays.

Where the time goes

Email time rose 104% and instant chat and messaging surged 145%, the report says. Around 80% of employees now use AI tools, and time spent in those tools is climbing—evidence that AI is embedded in daily workflows. But the productivity paradox persists: collaboration time is up 34% and multitasking rose 12%, while deep, uninterrupted focus has fallen to a three‑year low. Engagement problems followed: it has been reported that 23% of employees now show signs of low work投入, up from 19%.

Why it matters

Who gets the extra capacity that AI creates? That, the report argues, is the central management question. Rather than reallocating freed-up effort to higher-value work, managers have often funneled it into low-value, administrative tasks—“upgrading the engine without adjusting the steering,” the study warns. The result: more activity, not necessarily better outcomes.

The broader context

This analysis, reported by Chinese outlets including IT Home (IT之家) and hosted on Phoenix New Media (凤凰网), arrives as governments and firms worldwide debate how to regulate and deploy AI. In an era of US‑China tech competition and tighter export controls, companies on both sides of the Pacific are racing to integrate AI for a competitive edge. But as the ActivTrak data suggests, adoption alone won't deliver better results—organizational design and management practices must change too.