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As competition in artificial intelligence (AI) intensifies, Google co-founder Sergey Brin has urged employees to step up their efforts, recommending a 60-hour workweek to maintain the company’s edge in the AI space. His internal memo, as reported by The New York Times, emphasized the need for in-office collaboration and increased productivity.
A Push for More Office Presence
Brin advised employees to work from the office every weekday, highlighting that physical presence fosters better teamwork and faster innovation. “I recommend being in the office at least every weekday,” he stated in the memo. His call for extended work hours aligns with Google’s push to advance its Gemini AI models and stay ahead of rivals like OpenAI and Microsoft.
“The Race to AGI Is On”
Brin’s memo underscored the urgency of developing Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)—AI systems capable of human-like reasoning. “The competition has intensified significantly, and the final race to AGI is underway,” he wrote, urging employees to “turbocharge” their efforts.
He also encouraged Google’s engineers to utilize AI-powered tools to assist in writing and optimizing code, suggesting this approach would make them “the most efficient coders and AI scientists in the world.”
Workweek Debate in Tech Industry
The tech industry has seen similar calls for extended workweeks from prominent leaders. Last year, Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy proposed a 70-hour workweek, while L&T Chairman SN Subrahmanyan suggested a 90-hour workweek in January. These recommendations have sparked debates, with some viewing them as strategies to boost efficiency, while others see them as attempts to reduce hiring and cut costs.
