Many top business leaders predict artificial intelligence will end the traditional 40-hour workweek. Notable figures such as Steve Cohen forecast a four-day workweek, while Eric Yuan envisions three days, and Bill Gates foresees a two-day week within a decade. Elon Musk suggests work may even become optional, like a hobby.
However, this optimistic view doesn’t match reality. If any of these executives truly wanted a shorter workweek, they could have implemented changes long before A.I. Studies demonstrate that a four-day workweek with the same pay is feasible and beneficial. For instance, a successful 2015 trial in Iceland showed productivity maintained or improved, with employee satisfaction significantly rising. The experiment led to wider adoption across Iceland. Similarly, a British study in 2022 involving 61 companies found revenue growth and reduced employee stress and burnout. Notable successes have also been recorded in New Zealand, Japan, Australia, and Brazil.
Despite these findings, the four-day workweek remains rare in the U.S., despite strong public support. In more than four decades in journalism, almost all expert predictions on reducing the workweek have been incorrect. This is largely because executives stubbornly cling to the concept of face time. Leaders who speak of shorter workweeks often demand more, not less time from employees. Elon Musk wants a minimum of 40 hours in office and claims impactful work requires 80 hours a week. Jensen Huang from Nvidia works seven days, despite foreseeing shorter workweeks. JP Morgan’s Jamie Dimon, who suggests a 3.5-day week, insists on five days of office presence and criticizes remote work.
Predictions for shorter workweeks also overrate technology’s time-saving capacity. When digital tools became available, expected reduction in hours was offset by continuous 24-hour availability demanded by technology, leading to increased work hours.