Silicon Valley's '996' Embrace: The 72-Hour Work Week Fueling AI's Cutthroat Race

Main article image from Wired, depicting the intense work culture in tech startups.

The question isn't about passion or dedication—it's a blunt prerequisite: "Are you willing to work 72 hours a week?" Across Silicon Valley, AI startups are increasingly demanding employees embrace "996," a grueling schedule (9 am to 9 pm, six days a week) imported from China's tech sector. This shift marks a stark departure from just years ago, when burnout and flexibility dominated workplace conversations. Now, in the breakneck race to dominate artificial intelligence, founders are normalizing extreme hours as a cultural badge of honor, with profound implications for developers, engineers, and the future of tech labor.

From Chinese Protests to Silicon Valley Adoption

The "996" model emerged in China as a response to hyper-competitive tech markets, but it quickly drew global condemnation. Worker protests and reports of deaths linked to overwork led to accusations of "modern slavery" and prompted a 2021 government crackdown. Despite this troubled history, US startups are now wholeheartedly adopting the practice. Adrian Kinnersley, an entrepreneur running staffing and compliance firms, observes, "It's becoming increasingly common. We have multiple clients where a prerequisite for screening candidates is whether they are prepared to work 996." This reflects a broader cultural pivot; where pandemic-era discussions championed work-life balance, today's AI gold rush has revived an ethos of relentless hustle, reminiscent of Elon Musk's "extremely hardcore" mandate at X.

Inside the 996 Grind: Startups Leading the Charge

Companies like Rilla—an AI firm developing negotiation software for contractors—are embedding 996 into their DNA. With nearly all 80 employees on the schedule, Head of Growth Will Gao defends it as a generational shift: "There's a strong subculture in Gen Z inspired by figures like Steve Jobs and Kobe Bryant, who dedicated every waking hour to their craft." Rilla's job listings explicitly warn applicants must be "excited" about 70+ hour weeks, with meals provided daily to keep staff office-bound. Other startups, like telehealth provider Fella & Delilah, offer tiered incentives; founder Ritchie Cartwright lured 10% of his team to 996 with 25% pay bumps and doubled equity. Yet not all leaders endorse blanket enforcement. Amrita Bhasin, CEO of AI logistics startup Sotira, argues it's essential for founders but unfair for rank-and-file staff: "The first two years of your startup, you kind of have to do 996. But pushing it onto employees? That's different."

Legal Risks and the Global Spread

This trend isn't confined to the US. UK venture capitalist Harry Stebbings recently ignited debate by claiming "996 might not be enough" for billion-dollar ambitions, suggesting China's even more extreme "007" (midnight to midnight, seven days) as the new benchmark. "If you want to build a $10 billion company, you have to work seven days a week," he asserts, noting European resistance compared to American enthusiasm. But beneath the rhetoric lies significant legal peril. Kinnersley warns that many startups are "wildly noncompliant" with labor laws, especially in California—a hub for AI innovation. Exemptions for tech roles don't absolve companies from proper overtime classifications or mitigating health risks. "There’s almost a hysteria in the rush to create AI products," Kinnersley cautions. "Young, intelligent people are forgetting the massive liabilities they're creating."

As the AI arms race accelerates, the 996 phenomenon reveals a disturbing trade-off: the drive for breakthroughs at the expense of sustainable work practices. With Kinnersley even securing the domain 996careers.com, it's clear this model is embedding itself in tech's foundation—forcing a reckoning with how far the industry will go to win, and who pays the price when innovation overshadows humanity.

Source: Wired