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AI Promised a 4-Day Week, But Workers Are Stuck in 9006 Grind

For years, tech leaders have painted a rosy picture: AI takes over the boring stuff, and we humans get to kick back with more free time. Google's engineering director even predicted a four-day workweek by 2025. OpenAI jumped on the bandwagon, urging companies to try it without cutting pay. Sounds great, right?

But here's the twist. Former employees from these very AI giants are now spilling the beans, and the reality is far from the dream. Instead of working less, people are working more—much more. During peak project phases, some employees have clocked in over 90 hours a week, falling into what's called the "9006" rhythm: 9 AM to 9 PM, six days a week. That's not liberation; that's burnout city.

So what went wrong? The efficiency gains from AI were supposed to translate into shorter hours. Instead, they've been funneled into higher KPIs. Companies see AI as a way to squeeze more output from each employee, not as a reason to give them a break. The result? The pressure is on, and it's heavier than ever.

Industry insiders point out that AI, which was meant to ease our burdens and improve our health, has become another tool for intensifying work. It's not that AI doesn't help—it does. But the benefits are being pocketed by employers, not shared with workers. The promise of a four-day week has turned into a nightmare of endless deadlines and mounting expectations.

This isn't just a tech industry problem. As AI spreads across sectors, the same pattern could emerge everywhere. The question is: who gets to enjoy the fruits of AI's labor? If we're not careful, we might end up with a world where machines do more, but humans work harder than ever.

So, is AI really our ticket to a shorter workweek? Not if we don't fight for it. The technology has the potential to free us, but only if we demand that its benefits are shared. Otherwise, we're just running faster on a treadmill that never stops.

Key Points

  • AI was expected to reduce working hours, but reality shows the opposite.
  • Former employees report 90+ hour weeks during peak times, a "9006" schedule.
  • Efficiency gains are being converted into higher KPIs, not more leisure.
  • The pattern could spread beyond tech, affecting all industries.
  • Workers need to advocate for sharing AI's benefits, or risk burnout.