MakeBox AI
← Back to News
IndustryApril 13, 20264 min read

PwC Study: AI Automation Saves 11.4 Hours Per Employee Per Week

A PwC survey of 2,400 businesses reveals average AI automation savings of 11.4 hours/employee/week — but 75% of gains are captured by only 20% of companies.

PwC Study: AI Automation Saves 11.4 Hours Per Employee Per Week

PwC's 2026 AI Performance Study surveyed 2,400 SMBs and found that AI automation delivers measurable time savings — but benefits are deeply unequal.

11.4hSaved per employee per week
$14,820/yrRecoverable per employee
20%Companies capture 75% of gains

Average time saved per employee per week:

  • Email drafting and follow-ups: 3.2 hours
  • Lead qualification and CRM updates: 2.8 hours
  • Scheduling and calendar management: 1.9 hours
  • Reporting and data entry: 2.1 hours
  • Customer support first-response: 1.4 hours
  • Total: 11.4 hours/employee/week
  • At $25/hour average labor cost, that's $14,820/year per employee in recoverable time.

    PwC 2026 AI study — 2,400 businesses, 11.4 hours saved per employee per week

    PwC 2026 AI study — 2,400 businesses, 11.4 hours saved per employee per week

    💡 75% of AI economic gains go to just 20% of companies — those that used AI for growth, not headcount reduction. The window to join that 20% is still open, but it's closing.

    The inequality problem: 75% of AI economic gains are captured by just 20% of companies — those that used AI for growth rather than headcount reduction.

    Biggest adoption barriers: 43% "don't know where to start," 31% "afraid of complexity," 18% cost concerns. The barrier is implementation knowledge, not technology.

    Source:pwc.com

    Want automation like this for your business?

    Book a free call and we'll show you exactly what's possible for your setup.