These figures come from the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), covering conversations from April and May 2026. For each request, Claude estimated how long it would take a person working alone and how long it took with AI. They describe single requests, not whole workdays, and they're estimates, not stopwatch measurements.
Time saved on a task doesn't mean jobs are cut. People often use the time on other parts of the job, or take on more of the same work.
The 25 biggest gaps
| # | Task and job | Alone | With AI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prepare publications and reports containing research findingsSociologists | 26h 17m | 50m |
| 2 | Prepare or review engineering studies or specificationsTransportation Planners | 24h 14m | 59m |
| 3 | Develop databases that support Web applications and Web sitesWeb Developers | 19h 14m | 1h 16m |
| 4 | Prepare reports or recommendations, based upon research outcomesBiochemists and Biophysicists | 17h 52m | 47m |
| 5 | Formulate, direct, or coordinate marketing activities or policies to promote products or services, working with advertising or promotion managersMarketing Managers | 17h 42m | 1h 15m |
| 6 | Prepare specifications, designs, or sketches for machines, components, or systems related to the generation, transmission, or use of mechanical or fluid energyMechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians | 17h 11m | 50m |
| 7 | Use sales forecasting or strategic planning to ensure the sale and profitability of products, lines, or services, analyzing business developments and monitoring market trendsMarketing Managers | 17h 14m | 1h 1m |
| 8 | Inform financial decisions by analyzing financial information to forecast business, industry, or economic conditionsFinancial Risk Specialists | 17h 18m | 1h 11m |
| 9 | Prepare reports, manuscripts, proposals, and technical manuals for use by other scientists and requestors, such as sponsors and customersMaterials Scientists | 16h 58m | 52m |
| 10 | Prepare research results for publication in form of journals, books, manuals, and filmCompensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists | 16h 23m | 48m |
| 11 | Use object-oriented programming languages, as well as client and server applications development processes and multimedia and Internet technologyComputer Systems Analysts | 15h 56m | 54m |
| 12 | Monitor project milestones and deliverablesProject Management Specialists | 15h 49m | 48m |
| 13 | Prepare detailed reports on audit findingsAccountants and Auditors | 15h 22m | 38m |
| 14 | Develop application-specific softwareComputer Systems Engineers/Architects | 15h 34m | 1h 10m |
| 15 | Conduct research, compile data, and prepare papers for consideration and presentation by executives, committees, and boards of directorsExecutive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants | 15h 4m | 42m |
| 16 | Develop or maintain internal or external company Web sitesSecretaries and Administrative Assistants | 15h 14m | 1h 15m |
| 17 | Design and apply bioinformatics algorithms including unsupervised and supervised machine learning, dynamic programming, or graphic algorithmsBioinformatics Scientists | 15h 44m | 1h 49m |
| 18 | Develop transactional Web applications, using Web programming software and knowledge of programming languages, such as hypertext markup language (HTML) and extensible markup language (XML)Search Marketing Strategists | 14h 29m | 42m |
| 19 | Optimize digital assets, such as text, graphics, or multimedia assets, for search engine optimization (SEO) or for display and usability on internet-connected devicesSearch Marketing Strategists | 14h 35m | 56m |
| 20 | Formulate strategic plans for the institutionPostsecondary Education Administrators | 14h 32m | 56m |
| 21 | Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in scholarly journals, books, or electronic mediaForeign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary | 13h 45m | 41m |
| 22 | Extend existing software programs, web-based interactive tools, or database queries as sequence management and analysis needs evolveBioinformatics Technicians | 13h 37m | 55m |
| 23 | Maintain library of model documents, templates, or other reusable knowledge assetsBusiness Intelligence Analysts | 13h 33m | 1h 10m |
| 24 | Prepare requirements documentation for use by software developersFinancial Quantitative Analysts | 13h 32m | 1h 11m |
| 25 | Develop or revise business plans for online business, emphasizing factors such as product line, pricing, inventory, or marketing strategyOnline Merchants | 13h 22m | 1h 2m |