How did ActivTrak define heavy AI users?

Heavy AI users were those using AI for 45 minutes or more per day across five or more sessions. Light users used AI for under 10 minutes a day, and regular users for 10 to 45 minutes.

Did AI users spend a larger share of their time working outside office hours?

No. The share was nearly identical — 32.3% for AI users versus 31.9% for non-AI users — but because AI users worked longer overall, they spent 18 more minutes on work outside office hours.

What did ActivTrak find about app switching?

Heavy AI users switched applications 1.1 times per hour on average, 15.2% more often than non-AI users' 0.95 times per hour. Users of browser-based AI tools switched 1.7 to 4.2 times per hour, versus 0.6 for embedded AI tools.

AI Business & IndustryGIGAZINE AI1d agoNov 13, 2026, 19:01 JST

ActivTrak: AI users work up to 90 minutes longer daily

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3 Key Points

What happened
ActivTrak's Productivity Lab analyzed work-behavior data from 467 companies and 9,140 people between April 1 and September 25, 2026, and found AI users worked 8.4 to 9.1 hours a day versus 7.6 hours for non-AI users — a gap of up to 90 minutes.
Why it matters
The finding suggests AI adoption may be linked to longer workdays rather than shorter ones, a result ActivTrak COO Gabriela Mauch says means leaders should treat AI as a means to measurably improve productivity, not just something to adopt.

WHO IT HITSThe findings land on team leaders and operations managers deciding how to deploy AI tools, since the data links heavier AI use to longer hours and more frequent app switching.

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Context & Analysis

ActivTrak's study draws on its own work-behavior data rather than self-reported surveys, which the researchers consider more reliable. The data spanned April 1 to September 25, 2026, and covered 467 companies and 9,140 people.

Beyond hours worked, the research examined focus and workflow. Heavy AI users focused for 37.8 minutes without interruption, 22% shorter than light AI users' 48.2 minutes. AI users also spent 3% of work time in meetings, compared with 5% for non-AI users.

The way AI is delivered appears to matter. Embedded AI tools in core business applications were linked to 0.6 app switches per hour, while browser-based AI tools ran 1.7 to 4.2 switches per hour. Software engineers leaned toward embedded AI, spending 78.5% of active time in coding applications, while operations managers favored browser-based AI. Gabriela Mauch, ActivTrak's COO and head of its Productivity Lab, said the goal for leaders is not simply to use AI but to treat it as a way to measurably improve productivity, efficiency, and business results.

FAQ

How did ActivTrak define heavy AI users?: Heavy AI users were those using AI for 45 minutes or more per day across five or more sessions. Light users used AI for under 10 minutes a day, and regular users for 10 to 45 minutes.
Did AI users spend a larger share of their time working outside office hours?: No. The share was nearly identical — 32.3% for AI users versus 31.9% for non-AI users — but because AI users worked longer overall, they spent 18 more minutes on work outside office hours.
What did ActivTrak find about app switching?: Heavy AI users switched applications 1.1 times per hour on average, 15.2% more often than non-AI users' 0.95 times per hour. Users of browser-based AI tools switched 1.7 to 4.2 times per hour, versus 0.6 for embedded AI tools.

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