Google Co-Founder Advocates for 60-Hour In-Office Workweek
Sergey Brin Calls 60-Hour Workweek the ‘Sweet Spot’ for Productivity, Sparking Debate
In a recent memo to employees, Google co-founder Sergey Brin stated that a 60-hour workweek is the “sweet spot” for productivity, urging staff involved in Google’s Gemini AI projects to work long hours to help the company stay ahead in the race for artificial general intelligence (AGI).
The suggestion has drawn mixed reactions. Some praise Brin’s dedication to innovation, while others criticize it as an outdated and harmful approach to work culture.
“The hustle-centric 60-hour week isn’t productivity—it’s burnout waiting to happen,” wrote workplace mental health educator Catherine Eadie in a LinkedIn post.
Others argue that long hours are necessary for success. A COO in the business analytics sector remarked, “Brin is just being honest—successful people have always put in long hours.”
However, some see irony in Brin’s push for extended workweeks. “It’s strange to push for longer hours when the very AI models they’re building might replace their jobs,” noted a marketing executive in a LinkedIn post.
Brin’s stance has reignited discussions about work-life balance and the evolving demands of the tech industry.
