AI Unlikely to Cut 40-Hour Week to 4 Days Despite Executive Forecasts
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 6
AI Unlikely to Cut 40-Hour Week to 4 Days Despite Executive Forecasts
2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 6
Summary
A New York Times opinion piece argues artificial intelligence is unlikely to deliver a four-day workweek, despite forecasts from executives including Bill Gates, Elon Musk and Zoom’s Eric Yuan.
The case rests on management choices, not technical limits: the article says leaders who predict shorter weeks still demand long hours and office presence, citing Elon Musk’s 40-hour in-office minimum and Jamie Dimon’s five-day office stance.
Evidence from 4-day-week trials undercuts the idea that feasibility is the problem. A 2022 UK study covering 61 companies and nearly 3,000 employees found revenue rose while stress and burnout fell.
The broader argument is that technology has historically raised expectations rather than reduced hours, much as digital publishing turned newsroom work into a round-the-clock cycle instead of shrinking the workweek.