As venture capital floods into artificial intelligence, a controversial trend is re-emerging in Silicon Valley: the glorification of overwork. Multiple U.S.-based AI startups are now adopting working hours reminiscent of China’s notorious “996” culture: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week. Some are pushing it even further.
Rilla, a U.S.-based AI startup, expects nearly all of its 80 employees to work under this model. According to Wired, the company provides office meals every day of the week, and its job listings are upfront about the hours. Will Gao, Rilla’s head of growth, explained the philosophy in Wired:
“There’s a really strong and growing subculture of people (especially Gen Z) who grew up listening to stories of Steve Jobs and Bill Gates and Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. And they think, ‘That’s the level of intensity that I want to work with.”
Rilla isn’t alone. According to staffing expert Adrian Kinnersley, who works with several AI firms:
“It’s becoming increasingly common. We have multiple clients where a prerequisite for screening candidates is whether they are prepared to work 996.”
These practices echo the “996” work schedule popularized by Chinese tech giants like Alibaba and Huawei. In China, the model has drawn criticism for contributing to burnout, health issues, and even death from overwork, leading to growing resistance among young professionals.
So why is the U.S. importing it?
The AI Race, Fueled by FOMO
Behind the shift is the immense pressure to compete in the AI arms race. With OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta, and Google moving at breakneck speed, startups feel forced to match their momentum or risk irrelevance. Billions of dollars are at stake, and so is first-mover advantage.
Amrita Bhasin, founder of another startup called Sotira, told Wired:
“The first two years of your startup, you kind of have to do 996… I don’t think it’s fair to push it onto people, though.”
Many engineers, lured by the promise of groundbreaking work and generous equity, embrace the challenge early on. But for some, the model quickly becomes unsustainable.
“I was completely bought in,” one engineer told Wired, speaking anonymously. “But after eight months, I was running on fumes.”
Is It Legal or Ethical?
Labor experts warn that these schedules may violate U.S. labor laws, particularly in states like California, where overtime pay is required for non-exempt employees. Even if workers are salaried or classified as exempt, sustained 72-hour weeks may create legal risk, especially when there’s pressure to conform.
Some startups claim the long hours are voluntary. But when the expectation is embedded in the culture or explicitly included in job descriptions, the line between choice and coercion blurs.
Innovation vs. Exploitation
Ironically, many of the AI tools being built by these overworked engineers are designed to increase productivity and reduce human labor. Yet the people building them are working longer than ever.
The 996 model has already sparked backlash in China. Movements like tang ping (“lying flat”) and bai lan (“let it rot”) have emerged in protest, rejecting relentless hustle in favor of minimalism and mental health. Whether American tech workers will respond the same way remains to be seen.
While not all AI companies embrace this culture, its normalization could set a precedent for other startups chasing speed and scale. As the hype around AI continues, the industry faces a difficult question: Is progress worth the personal cost?
For now, some founders say – “startups are not for everyone. If you’re not excited about that, don’t apply.”
