Silicon Valley Startups Embrace the 996 Work Culture Amid AI Boom

The work culture in Silicon Valley startups is increasingly resembling China’s «996» model, where employees are expected to work from 9 AM to 9 PM six days a week, totaling 72 hours per week, as reported by Wired.

This trend is particularly prevalent in companies focused on artificial intelligence. Leaders do not hesitate to demand longer hours from new hires.

For example, the AI startup Rilla specifies in its job postings that applicants unwilling to commit to 70-hour workweeks need not apply—most of the company’s 80 employees adhere to such a schedule. Google co-founder Sergey Brin has also stated that to achieve peak productivity, workers should put in 60 hours a week. Meanwhile, Elon Musk has fostered a “hardcore” culture at X, suggesting that those unwilling to accept such terms forfeit their severance.

This type of work environment is becoming more common against the backdrop of mass layoffs in tech companies and the boom in AI. Employees are doing everything they can to keep their jobs, often accepting the stringent demands set by management.

Conversely, China has been trying to move away from the «996» system, which was once quite popular in the country. In 2021, the Supreme People’s Court of China declared this work model illegal. However, the practice is now emerging in other regions.

The «996» work model is also being discussed in Europe, where there is a noticeable lag behind other regions in AI and technology development. Venture capitalists often argue that Europeans need to work more hours to remain competitive. Still, this approach has its critics, who warn that the «996» model can lead to burnout, which is frequently a factor in the failure of early-stage startups.