Measure the task before and after AI, so you know what it really saved.

The best free resources

• How to Measure Time Saved After Rolling Out AI in a Small Firm
  Step-by-step stopwatch method: two-week baseline, then count review and rework time too.
  Sagnik Bhattacharya, sagnikbhattacharya.com · Sep 2026

• How to Measure ROI on AI Tools in a Small Business: The Numbers That Matter
  A 14-day log template: task, minutes before and after, value, cost.
  Lilach Bullock, lilachbullock.com · 2026

• Measuring the Impact of Early-2025 AI on Experienced Open-Source Developer Productivity
  People felt 20% faster with AI but were 19% slower: measure, don't guess.
  Joel Becker, Nate Rush, Beth Barnes, David Rein, METR · 2026

• The Impact of Generative AI on Work Productivity
  A realistic yardstick: AI users report saving about 5% of work hours.
  Alexander Bick, Adam Blandin, David Deming, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis · Feb 2025

• Proving ROI on AI: Simple Measures That Actually Matter for Small Business
  Five things to track beyond hours: quality, decision speed, what you stopped doing.
  Robert Crane, CIAOPS blog · Mar 2026

Curated by effectiveAI. Every link checked November 2026. Know a better free resource? Tell us.