The Illusion of Automation and a Shorter Workweek

Many business leaders have posited that artificial intelligence (AI) will eventually reduce the standard workweek. Notable figures such as financier Steve Cohen, Zoom’s Eric Yuan, Bill Gates, and Elon Musk have predicted drastically shorter workweeks, ranging from three to as few as zero days. However, these predictions remain uncertain.

Historical Success and Current Resistance

Empirical evidence supports the viability of a four-day workweek. Iceland’s 2015 trial showed unchanged or improved productivity and increased worker satisfaction, leading to broader implementation. Similarly, a 2022 study in the UK, with 61 companies and nearly 3,000 employees, recorded revenue growth while reducing employee stress and burnout. Countries like New Zealand, Japan, Australia, and Brazil have reported successful outcomes as well.

Despite broad support among Americans, these reforms have stalled in the U.S. Expert predictions about the end of the five-day workweek have often failed, primarily due to executives’ obsession with workplace presence. Contradictorily, leaders who advocate for shorter workweeks demand extensive hours from their employees currently. For instance, Elon Musk mandates at least 40 office hours weekly and believes impactful work requires 80 hours. Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, despite favoring a shorter workweek, practices seven workdays. Jamie Dimon from JP Morgan expects five on-site days and strongly opposes remote work.

Technology’s Role: Overestimated Impact

Optimists overstate the time-saving potentials of technology. In the early 1980s, my internship at The Wall Street Journal involved manual typewriters and carbon papers. Digital tools were projected to reduce work hours, but instead, they enabled constant work, increasing demands and expectations.