The global human day

Understanding how the global human system functions is crucial if we are to sustainably navigate planetary boundaries, adapt to rapid technological change such as artificial intelligence, and achieve global development goals. But, the vast scope and diversity of human endeavors presents a major challenge for holistic assessment. Here, we address this problem by providing a global estimate of time use by all humans, integrating economic and noneconomic data within a consistent framework. Our findings provide a bird's eye perspective on what our species does, including how economic activities fit into the backdrop of life, and reveal activities for which there is significant potential for change.