AI agents promise to free up time but could increase workload, study finds

Alexander Embiricos, head of OpenAI’s Dots product, said on Thursday, October 15, at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco, that professionals can already delegate tasks to artificial intelligence to reduce their workload. The statement, reported by Business Insider, highlights OpenAI’s focus on AI agents that can track projects and continue working between conversations, rather than just answering questions.

How Dots works

Dots uses its own cloud-based computers and user-connected tools. It can perform tasks such as updating presentations, checking customer information, and preparing code changes for review. The user decides which applications are accessible and which actions require approval, maintaining control over final decisions.

Choose between more output or less work

When asked about the free time AI could provide, Embiricos said, “We basically have a lot more choice now.” He also said he is among the professionals who prefer to increase productivity to take advantage of the current technological moment. According to the executive, the technology allows people to choose between increasing output or reducing working hours, but this does not mean everyone will have a shorter workday.

Workers’ perception of AI

A Gallup survey released on October 6, part of the American Job Quality Study conducted in partnership with Jobs for the Future and Families & Workers Fund, interviewed 7,845 American workers who used AI at least a few times in the previous year. The survey, conducted between January 26 and March 24, 2026, found that 63% of participants believe AI allows them to complete tasks more quickly. On the other hand, 31% said that the use of technology led employers to demand more responsibilities. Among those who reported greater speed, this proportion reached 37%.

The data reflects perceptions rather than an objective measurement of time saved. Completing a task more quickly does not guarantee that the workday will end earlier, as the freed-up time can be filled with new demands.

Implications for the job market

The combination of greater speed and increased responsibilities shows that AI adoption can both alleviate and increase workload, depending on how companies reorganize tasks. While tools like Dots promise to delegate repetitive activities, the final decision on how to use free time remains in the hands of professionals and their organizations.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Who is Alexander Embiricos? He leads the Dots product at OpenAI and discussed the impact of AI on work during TechCrunch Disrupt.
• Does AI already allow people to work less? Embiricos says that delegating tasks to AI offers this possibility, but does not guarantee a reduction in working hours for everyone.
• What is OpenAI’s Dots? It is an AI agent that can continue tasks between conversations, using cloud computers and applications authorized by the user.
• Did the survey measure time saved with AI? No. The study recorded workers’ perceptions of the effects of the technology.
• Can using AI bring more responsibilities? 31% of users reported that employers asked for more responsibilities, but the data does not apply to everyone.
• Who controls Dots’ actions? The user chooses which applications are accessible and manages permissions; some actions require approval.