How many hours a week could AI save you?
Pick the jobs AI could do or draft for you. Add how often you do each one and how long it takes, and see the time you could get back.
For example, invoice chasing: 5 times a week × 12 minutes = 60 minutes a week. A third of that saved = 20 minutes a week back.
How much time can AI save a small business?
It depends on the jobs, but in controlled studies AI cut the time people took on writing and admin tasks like these by 25 to 40%, including the time spent checking the result. An MIT study found ChatGPT cut the time on professional writing tasks by 40% (Noy and Zhang, Science, 2023). A Harvard Business School study with Boston Consulting Group consultants found AI made them more than 25% faster on tasks within its reach (Dell’Acqua and colleagues, 2023). This calculator counts a third, the middle of that range.
How does the calculator work?
For each job, multiply how many times a week you do it by the minutes it takes. That gives your minutes a week. A third of that is the time AI could save, rounded to the nearest minute. Add up the jobs and divide by 60 for hours a week. Invoice chasing five times a week at 12 minutes each is 60 minutes a week, so about 20 minutes back.
Which jobs should you count?
Count the jobs AI could do for you, where a mistake is cheap and easy to spot, and the ones it could draft for you to check, where a mistake would cost money or trust. Leave out work that rests on your judgement and relationships, and anything involving information AI shouldn’t see or decisions it shouldn’t make.
Questions about the calculator
Is the calculator free?
Yes. There’s no sign-up, and nothing you type is stored or sent anywhere. It all runs in your browser.
Is the result a guarantee?
No. It’s a rough guide built on your own numbers. Real savings depend on the job, the tool and how well it’s set up, which is why the calculator counts a third rather than the top of the research range.
Which AI tools does it assume?
None in particular. ChatGPT, Claude, Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini can all help with jobs like these, and most businesses start with a tool they already pay for.
Can I use it with my team?
Yes. Run it with each person’s numbers, print or save the results, or use the printable worksheet to work through it on paper together.
What should I do with the result?
Start with the job that saves the most and use AI on it every time it comes up this week. If you’d like help setting it up, book a free 30-minute call.
