Artificial intelligence programs such as ChatGPT could open the door to a four-day week and ‘French-style working practices’, Jean “JC” Townend, president of the Adecco Group UK and Ireland, said in a report in The Telegraph (paywall), Townend said that chatbots,- are expected to increase such significant productivity gains that the working week could be shortened as a result, according to the report.

“If you can get computers to do the really repetitive, boring parts of jobs that humans don’t like to do, then you can put the human on top to do the really creative, interesting parts," Townsend said, according to The Telegraph. "Productivity means either higher salaries or it means the ability to work less and receive the same salary.”

Townend suggested a four-day week could lead to French-style labour market practices. “If you have a four-day working week we get what happened in France,” she said. “When they changed the working hours laws more people went into the workforce, and people also took on extra jobs. So it actually increased the demand for jobs.” Last month, it was reported that ChatGPT lost users for the first time.

The story has been updated from a previous version.