Your best work happens at exactly 11 a.m. on Monday morning. By Friday afternoon at 12:06 p.m., you’ve hit rock bottom for workplace efficiency. Between those two points, you’re losing more than three and a half hours every week to tasks that completely kill your momentum.
A Talker Research survey of 2,000 American office workers reveals how our productivity rises and falls throughout the week, and why artificial intelligence might help us get those lost hours back.
The research, commissioned by Grammarly, found that while 56% of workers consider themselves “very productive” during an average day, they face an average of 53 weekly tasks that derail their focus and waste their time.
Younger Workers Hate Repetitive Tasks More
Nearly half of all workers (44%) say they hate the repetitive parts of their jobs. But younger employees feel this frustration more intensely: 57% of Gen Z workers can’t stand mundane tasks, compared to just 42% of Gen X workers.
The generational gap extends to workplace expectations about artificial intelligence. Two-thirds of Gen Z employees (67%) want their companies to embrace AI tools, while only 45% of Gen X workers feel the same way. Millennials fall in the middle at 59%.
What Workers Actually Want From AI
Most workers (62%) are ready to use AI in their jobs, and they have specific, practical requests for what these tools should do.
Nearly half (49%) want AI that’s simply easy to use, with no complex training required. More than one-third want help with email drafting (35%) and tools that respond well to simple requests (35%). Other popular AI features include:
- Sorting spreadsheet data (34%)
- Taking meeting notes (33%)
- Handling simple tasks automatically (31%)
- Working well with existing workplace software (31%)
Fewer workers want AI to attend meetings for them (17%) or tools that require no human input at all (10%).
Most People View AI As Beneficial To Their Job
Despite worker enthusiasm, most companies haven’t caught up. Only 38% of survey respondents say their employer has a clear policy about using AI at work. Half wish their workplace would be more open to AI tools.
Workers see AI as a career booster rather than a job threat. Nearly two-thirds (64%) view artificial intelligence as an opportunity for professional growth, while just 16% see it as threatening their employment. An overwhelming 76% believe AI will become essential for office jobs within the next three and a half years.
“We’re seeing professionals turn to AI to automate repetitive tasks through intuitive, user-friendly tools that fit naturally into their existing workflows,” said Heather Breslow, Head of UX and Marketing Research at Grammarly, in a statement. “By minimizing the tedious tasks that get in the way of true productivity, AI users have time to focus on more meaningful work that requires their judgment, creativity, and care.”
Breslow emphasized the importance of organizational support for this transition: “Workers are eager to leverage AI for professional growth, and they look to their workplaces for clear guidance on maximizing its potential. For organizations to stay competitive in a landscape where everyone is harnessing AI, they must actively invest in helping their people use it well by upskilling workers through learning and development programs. Companies can create a culture of AI super users by comprehensively training workers and integrating AI tools into workflows, equipping teams with the skills needed to succeed in an evolving landscape.”
The research shows a workforce ready for AI assistance but waiting for organizational support. With clear productivity patterns identified and workers losing time to tasks they actively dislike, the case for AI integration has never been stronger.
Survey Methodology
Talker Research surveyed 2,000 American office workers online between May 13-19, 2025, for this study commissioned by Grammarly. Participants were recruited through online panels and web-based sampling, completed the survey in English, and received small incentives for participation. The researchers used quality controls to exclude incomplete responses, duplicate entries, and automated responses. Results apply to workers with internet access and may not represent those without online connectivity.