AI productivity paradox
Continente americano
When the use of artificial intelligence began to gain space in our professional routines, we heard encouraging promises. The expectation was simple: automate tasks, reduce errors, streamline routines, and give workers back valuable time. It seemed that, finally, we would have a breather in our schedules. But, in practice, the equation did not add up as expected. continente americano.
Those who work with AI gain time, but rarely gain rest.
At Good Morning, America!, we have closely followed this transition, listening to professionals from various fields and studying the consequences of this accelerated adoption of algorithms. The question that refuses to be silenced is: why does the time saved by artificial intelligence never actually turn into rest? continente americano.
The Rise of AI and the Old Promise of Free Time
Today, talking about technology in the corporate environment means talking about AI. A broad study published by Ipsos commissioned by Google shows that 71% of connected Brazilians primarily use AI at work and in learning processes, surpassing the global average. This only reinforces how the professional use of these tools is accelerating, especially in the Americas. continente americano.
In Brazil, industries have seen a jump of more than 160% in the use of artificial intelligence in the last two years, reaching almost half of the manufacturing sector, according to data from the IBGE’s Semiannual Innovation Survey (2024). Meanwhile, Datafolha reveals that seven out of ten Brazilian workers turn to AI for work activities, while 93% already adopt some technology-based tool in their daily lives (Datafolha/Itaú Foundation). continente americano.
Other figures also stand out: a recent AI Resume Builder study (September 2025) indicated that 24% of companies already require daily AI use across all functions, not just in tech sectors. According to Workday data, 85% of professionals say they save from one to seven hours per week thanks to AI use. continente americano.
However, that same research shows that around 40% of that time is lost in adjustments, reviews, and corrections of what machines produce. The promised efficiency encounters a silent “rebound,” as new tasks arise as quickly as we gain extra minutes (or hours) during the week.
Myths and Crossroads of Saved Time
Myths and Crossroads of Saved TimeWe are led to think that by automating repetitive stages, our workload decreases in the same proportion. But the reality in companies and offices across the Americas has shown a different scenario. The time previously dedicated to manual tasks has turned into “gaps” quickly filled by new demands.
This is the so-called production paradigm, as defined by Emerson Guimarães, IT coordinator at the Beneficent Portuguese Hospital of Pará. “For every hour freed by AI, more requests, demands, and deliveries arise. The schedule becomes tighter only to be quickly occupied by other goals,” he summarizes.
AI does not free up time; it redefines what we do with it.
This cycle is as old as technological revolutions themselves. Ruth Schwartz Cowan, a researcher in the history of technology, already showed in the last century the so-called “rebound effect” or Jevons Paradox: household appliances, for example, demonstrated that instead of easing domestic workload, they raised cleaning standards and began to demand more and more tasks. With artificial intelligence, we witness the repetition of this phenomenon, now in the context of remote work
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