The use of AI to enhance productivity and efficiency in the workplace is increasing expectations, rather than reducing the workload, according to a study by UC Berkeley. The study found that people are working longer hours with AI, not shorter, and companies are tracking "interactions per day" as a productivity metric. This shift in expectations is seen as a mechanism where efficiency gains are immediately converted into new baseline requirements. The author describes this as the "expectation escalator", which translates into higher expectations. The rise in expectations can be seen as the equivalent of lifestyle creep.