60-hour workweek? Google co-founder's remark sparks debate
Google co-founder Sergey Brin calls for a 60-hour workweek to dominate the AI race. But is it the key to innovation or a path to burnout? Let's find out!
Imagine working 60 hours a week to stay ahead in the race for AI. That’s exactly what Google co-founder Sergey Brin is asking of employees working on the company’s groundbreaking Gemini AI projects.
In a recent internal memo, Brin called the 60-hour workweek the "sweet spot" for productivity, urging teams to be in the office every weekday to foster collaboration, drive innovation, and secure Google’s position as a leader in the fiercely competitive world of artificial intelligence.
But is this the key to winning the AI race or a recipe for burnout? Let's find out!
Why the 60-hour push?
Work life illustration
Sergey Brin recently sent out a memo to Google's AI teams, especially those working on their Gemini AI, telling them to aim for a 60-hour workweek. Here's why he believes this is the "sweet spot" for getting things done:
- AGI is the goal: The competition to create AGI is fierce, especially after the buzz around ChatGPT, DeepSeek's R-1 and Grok-3. In short, Google wants to stay ahead.
- In-office power: Brin encouraged employees to be in the office every day, which will help teams be productive and come up with creative ideas.
- Turbocharging efforts: He believes they need to turbocharge their efforts to keep a competitive edge.
Is a 60-hour work week a good idea?
In the memo, Brin did not just stop at advocating for a 60-hour workweek; he also shared some critical advice to keep the team on track. First, he cautioned against overworking, saying that pushing beyond 60 hours could backfire, leading to burnout and a drop in productivity.
On the flip side, he made it clear that doing the bare minimum wasn’t an option either, as it could drag the entire team down. To help engineers work smarter, Brin encouraged them to leverage Google’s own AI tools, suggesting that these could supercharge their coding efficiency and output.
But the big question remains: is a 60-hour workweek really the answer? The memo has ignited a heated debate. People argue that simply logging more hours doesn’t automatically translate to better results. They highlight the risks of burnout, exhaustion, and plummeting motivation.
Others stress that quality trumps quantity; it’s not about how many hours you put in, but how effectively you use them. Above all, many experts emphasise the importance of balance, pointing out that sustained productivity and creativity thrive when people have a healthy work-life.
The big picture
Brin’s message is a push for Google to dominate the AI race. He’s betting big on the idea that a focused, collaborative, and all-hands-on-deck approach is the key to achieving Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), a milestone that could redefine the future of technology.
But this ambitious vision comes with challenges. While Brin’s call for intensity highlights the urgency of innovation, it also raises critical questions about the human cost of such a relentless pace. How do we balance the drive for groundbreaking advancements with protecting employee well-being?
And in the race to build machines that think like humans, are we forgetting what it means to be human?
The bottom line
Google is pulling out all the stops to lead the AI revolution, and co-founder Sergey Brin believes a 60-hour in-office workweek is the secret sauce to achieving that goal. However, this approach has sparked a heated debate. While Brin sees it as the path to peak productivity, people argue that such intense demands could lead to burnout, ultimately harming both employee well-being and performance. The real challenge lies in finding the right balance and pushing the boundaries of innovation without driving people to their limits.
