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AI training and automation at the same time: interpreting the results
Short answer
When AI training and an automation start in the same month, shorter working time has two causes. Assess separately what the automation removed, for example manual data import, and what the team learned, for example writing the report commentary. At Syntalith team training costs from €1,150 net a day. With 10 people and 1 hour a week saved per person, it pays back in 0.9 months after licences.
- net per day of closed training for the team
- from €1,150
- people in one training group
- up to 15
- after this time, we measure the effect on the same tasks
- 30 days
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Author: Syntalith · 3 min read
Statistics
Training and AI: statistics 2026
0.9 mo.
payback of €1,150 training with 10 people saving 1 hour a week each: €1,511 of time recovered, €178 of licences a month. Scenario.
40%
According to a study published in Science (2023), ChatGPT cut the time 453 professionals spent on writing tasks by 40%.
Source: Noy and Zhang, Science (2023) ↗
48%
According to the European Commission (2026), 48% of EU SMEs and mid-caps name a lack of expertise as a barrier to using AI.
Source: European Commission, Flash Eurobarometer on AI and algorithmic management (2026) ↗
15.1%
According to Eurostat (2025), 15.1% of people aged 16 to 74 in the EU used generative AI tools for work.
32.7%
According to Eurostat (2025), 32.7% of people aged 16 to 74 in the EU used generative AI tools in the previous 3 months.
Figures checked: 22 October 2026
One result, two changes running side by side
After the training the team prepares reports faster, but an automatic data import went live in the same month. IT credits the whole time saved to the import, and L&D credits it to the training. Both notes describe the same work. The information available shows that the import removed the manual transfer of data, and that participants can write a commentary with AI and check it against the source.
Preparing a report covers gathering the data, interpreting it, writing the commentary and making corrections after review. The import changes the first part, and the training concerns reading the material and editing. The participant's own trial after the training matches the new way of working. There is no reason to ask a participant to do by hand a step the company has just removed.
- 01Taskthe stages of work before and after the changes
- 02Automationwhich stages it removed or shortened
- 03Trainingwhich stages the participant does better
- 04Trialindependent work on new material
- 05Summarythe two causes described separately
- The manager: the task and what the result should look like
- IT: the change of tool or of access to data
- L&D: the scope of the programme and how it is assessed
- Finance: the information needed for the later summary
What AI training costs and when it pays back
- Time saved
- 10 people × 1 h a week × 4.33 = 43.3 h
- Value of that time
- €1,511
- Licences
- $200 (€178)
- Left after licences
- €1,333 a month
Payback of €1,150 training
0.9 months
The hours saved are the scenario's assumption, which we check by timing the tasks before the training and after 30 days. €34.90 an hour is the EU average hourly labour cost for 2025 according to Eurostat. Claude Team licences at $20 per person a month, at the ECB rate of 1.1205 USD per euro on 22 October 2026.
We measure the hours in the scenario before the training and after 30 days, on the same team tasks. If after a month checking AI-written text takes as long as writing from scratch, we change the exercises or the scope of the tool.
According to the European Commission (2026), 48% of EU SMEs and mid-caps name a lack of expertise as a barrier to using AI. When training and a system change run side by side, measuring what the training added needs the work split into stages.
Compare the order with the promised evaluation
The CIPD factsheet on evaluating learning links evaluation to identified gaps in work and to business goals. For the buyer this means that the evaluation of training starts from what the participant should do differently. In the proposal, state whether it covers a baseline assessment, practice on new material and a review after a period of work. A formal estimate of the effect on company results, with two changes running in parallel, needs a separate plan, because a before-and-after comparison of time is not enough here.
Training only, system unchanged
time measured before and after 30 days
included in the training price
Training and automation at once
stages of work assessed separately
included in the training price
Formal effect on company results
a separate evaluation plan with a comparison group
priced after the review
Where to start
If the system is still changing, we plan part of the practice after the new way of working is settled. Bring a description of the task and of the changes the company is making at the same time. We run the workshop as part of team training. For the free process review, a description of one task the team does every week and the tools it uses is enough. You get the training programme in writing within 2 working days.
Worked example · Scenario
How we count the payback: team reports
We run the same count for your team in the free process review.
€1,815
a month for 12 h a week of report preparation
Payback: 1.9 mo.
The hours for each firm size and checking in 15% of the old time are our assumptions. €34.90 an hour is the EU average hourly labour cost for 2025 according to Eurostat, for companies with 10 or more employees. We measured the model cost in our report system: a commentary with a check of the figures costs about €0.0002, converted at the NBP rate of 21 October 2026 and the ECB rate of 1.1205 USD per euro on 22 October 2026.
See the full calculation →
