AI Boosts Productivity by the Equivalent of One Workday Per Week, New Report Finds

Rhea-AI Summary

RHI research released Oct 28, 2025 finds employees using AI save an average of 7.5 hours per week—about $18,000 per employee per year in productivity value. The LSE Inclusion Initiative and Protiviti surveyed ~3,000 workers and 240 executives and report that AI training drives adoption: 93% of trained employees use AI versus 57% untrained, and trained staff save 11 hours/week versus 5 hours/week for the untrained. The study also says multigenerational AI teams report higher productivity (77% vs 66%). However, 68% of employees received no AI training in the past 12 months, leaving gains unrealized.

Positive

• Average productivity gain: 7.5 hours/week
• Estimated value: $18,000 per employee per year
• Trained employees save 11 hours/week vs 5 hours/week untrained
• 93% of trained employees use AI versus 57% without training
• Multigenerational AI teams: 77% report productive outcomes

Negative

• 68% of employees received no AI training in past 12 months
• Majority of potential efficiency gains remain unrealized
• AI adoption gap: untrained employees save only 5 hours/week

Insights

Workforce Productivity Analyst

AI users save roughly one workday weekly; missing training leaves firms unrealized productivity worth about $18,000 per employee annually.

LSE–Protiviti research shows employees who use AI save on average 7.5 hours per week, with trained employees saving 11 hours and untrained saving 5 hours. The data link training to usage: 93% of trained employees use AI versus 57% without training, and 68% of staff received no AI training in the prior 12 months.

The business mechanism is straightforward: training increases AI adoption and time saved, which converts into measurable productivity value per employee. Outcomes depend directly on the scale and recency of training and on whether organisations redesign workflows to absorb saved time into higher‑value tasks. Risks include uneven training rollout and overreliance on headline averages without cohort adjustments.

Concrete actions to watch: corporate rollouts of AI training, metrics showing changes in weekly hours saved, and any public reporting of workforce reskilling budgets within the next year (2026 timeline implied). Firms that measure hours saved and link them to role redesign will best capture the $18,000-equivalent gains reported.

Yet 68 per cent of employees have received no AI training in the past 12 months, says new LSE–Protiviti research

LONDON, Oct. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Employees who use artificial intelligence (AI) are saving the equivalent of a full working day every week, according to new research from the London School of Economics' Inclusion Initiative (TII), in collaboration with global consulting firm Protiviti.

The report, Bridging the Generational AI Gap: Unlocking Productivity for All Generations, which surveyed nearly 3,000 workers and 240 executives globally, reveals that professionals using AI save an average of 7.5 hours per week – worth around $18,000 (approximately £14,000) per employee per year¹ in productivity gains or the equivalent of one workday.

However, despite this significant potential, most employees (68%) have received no AI training in the past 12 months, leaving substantial efficiency gains unrealized.

Dr Grace Lordan, Founding Director of The Inclusion Initiative at LSE, who led the research, said: "For business leaders, the priority is clear: closing the AI training gap is one of the fastest ways to unlock measurable returns. Equipping employees with the right skills doesn't just improve individual productivity — it drives sharper decision-making, accelerates innovation and creates stronger overall performance. In an environment where every efficiency counts, organisations that act now will set themselves apart from those still waiting on the sidelines."

AI skills training, not generation, determines AI success

Contrary to popular belief, AI adoption isn't limited to younger generations. The research makes clear that training—not generation—is the decisive factor:

• 93% of employees who receive AI training use AI in their roles, versus just 57% without training.
• Those with training are 2x more productive, saving 11 hours per week compared with 5 hours for the untrained.
• A Gen X employee who has received AI skills training in the past 12 months is achieving greater productivity benefits from AI than a Gen Z employee who has not been trained.

Inclusive AI teams outperform

The study also found that when it comes to delivering AI initiatives, generationally diverse teams are more productive: 77% of employees in multigenerational AI project teams reported that their team was productive, compared with 66% of employees in AI teams with low generational diversity.

Dr Daniel Jolles, Research Officer in Behavioural Science at The Inclusion Initiative at LSE, who co-led the research, said:

"Our findings show the importance of recent and relevant training in helping employees engage with AI productively. For older generations in particular, training is key to AI adoption, ensuring their deep business experience helps shape how these technologies are applied. Equipping employees of all generations to use AI effectively and creating diverse AI teams helps remove age-based divides between employees, fosters collaboration, and drives stronger team outcomes."

Fran Maxwell, Global Leader of People & Change, Protiviti, said:

"AI isn't just another tool for the workplace — it's a catalyst for rethinking how they organise, lead and empower their people. The organisations that will benefit the most are those that embed AI into everyday workflows, redesign roles to focus on higher-value work, and give employees the confidence to experiment. This research shows that inclusive adoption across all generations doesn't just improve productivity — it prepares companies for the next wave of change."

Matt Duncan, Managing Director at Protiviti, said:

"Protiviti's 2025 Executive Perspectives on Top Risks Survey revealed that AI and talent-related risks, including the availability of labour and skills to leverage emerging technologies, are among the top 10 challenges for executives. This research highlights that productivity gains can be made by investing in AI skills training across generations. Creating multigenerational AI teams is more likely to drive increased employee commitment, achieve organisational gains and mitigate these risks."

Protiviti and LSE are hosting a virtual launch event on 28 October that will explore the preliminary report findings. Please register here.

Notes to editors

The authors of the research are:

Dr Daniel Jolles, Research Officer in Behavioural Science, The Inclusion Initiative, LSE.

Dr Grace Lordan, Founder and Director of The Inclusion Initiative at LSE, Associate Professor in Behavioural Science, and author of Think Big, Take Small Steps and Build the Future you Want.

The Inclusion Initiative at LSE

The Inclusion Initiate (TII) at LSE was founded by Dr Grace Lordan to bring together a multi-disciplinary team to understand how to measure and improve inclusion and productivity within firms and at the team level.

About Protiviti

Protiviti (www.protiviti.com) is a global consulting firm that delivers deep expertise, objective insights, a tailored approach and unparalleled collaboration to help leaders confidently face the future. Protiviti and its independent and locally owned member firms provide clients with consulting and managed solutions in finance, technology, operations, data, digital, legal, HR, risk and internal audit through a network of more than 90 offices in over 25 countries.

Named to the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® list for the 10th consecutive year, Protiviti has served more than 80 percent of Fortune 100 and nearly 80 percent of Fortune 500 companies. The firm also works with government agencies and smaller, growing companies, including those looking to go public. Protiviti is a wholly owned subsidiary of Robert Half (NYSE: RHI).

¹ Projections based on salary numbers provided by each survey respondent

 

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SOURCE Protiviti

FAQ

What did the LSE–Protiviti RHI report dated Oct 28, 2025 find about AI productivity?

The report found AI users save 7.5 hours/week, worth about $18,000 per employee per year.

How does AI training affect AI use and productivity in the RHI study?

Trained employees: 93% use AI and save 11 hours/week; untrained save 5 hours/week.

What proportion of employees lacked AI training in the past 12 months in the RHI report?

68% of employees reported receiving no AI training in the past 12 months.

What impact do multigenerational AI teams have according to the Oct 28, 2025 RHI research?

Multigenerational AI teams reported 77% productivity versus 66% for low-diversity teams.

What immediate action does the RHI report suggest for companies worried about AI risks?

Invest in AI skills training across generations to boost adoption, productivity, and mitigate talent risks.