Artificial intelligence may be saving Canadian workers hours each week, but almost everyone using it still finds themselves fixing at least some of what it produces.
The automotive industry may have a particular challenge, as 60 per cent of automotive workers surveyed for a new Punchcard Systems report said they receive no formal employer support for AI — even as the technology becomes more common in Canadian workplaces. That’s according to the Edmonton-based digital innovation consultancy’s The State of AI at Work in Canada report; the automotive finding is based on a smaller sample of 50 workers.
The report, based on research conducted by Angus Reid Group, found 94 per cent of AI users surveyed said at least some AI-generated output requires meaningful correction or needs to be partly redone before it can be used.
Yet workers are still reporting productivity gains. Sixty-five per cent of AI users said the technology saves them time, with those reporting savings estimating an average of 6.1 hours per week. Another 35 per cent said AI saves them no time. The survey did not determine whether workers included time spent correcting AI output in those estimates.
Employer support appears limited beyond automotive as well. Across industries, 64 per cent of workers reported receiving no formal AI support. Only seven per cent reported formal training on using AI in their role, while 16 per cent received guidance on AI risks, privacy, security and limits.
Meanwhile, 52 per cent of workers surveyed reported using AI for work, including 32 per cent using general-purpose AI assistants or websites.
The survey included 1,100 working Canadians and was conducted Sept. 2–11, 2026.
