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Bill Gates expects a 2-day workweek in just 10 years, thanks to AI
When ChatGPT was still in its infancy in 2023, Gates had said that a three-day workweek would eventually become a new social norm.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates expects that in just ten years, humans may have to work just two days a week, thanks to advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI).
“What will jobs be like? Should we just work like 2 or 3 days a week?” the billionaire told Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show, adding that at the current pace of innovation in AI, humans may no longer be needed “for most things.”
Bill Gates has also talked of shorter workweeks in the past. When OpenAI's ChatGPT was still in its infancy in 2023, he had said that a new social norm would “eventually” be working three days a week.
He added that the world will then have to figure out what to do with the leisure time available as a result.
“If you zoom out, the purpose of life is not just to do jobs,” he had said in Trevor Noah’s “What Now?” podcast.
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Gate's views are in complete contrast to that of some Indian business leaders such as Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy and Larsen & Toubro Chairman SN Subrahmanyan, who have batted for longer work hours.
Narayana Murthy had said that Indians need to ideally work 70 hours a week in order for the nation to remain competitive on the global stage. However, he had also clarified that this is more of a personal choice rather than a demand.
Meanwhile, SN Subrahmanyan suggested a 90-hour workweek in an old video to employees, claiming that he regretted not being able to make his staff work on Sundays as well. Both of these cases attracted huge controversy.
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A huge cut in the number of working days may be music to the ears of many workers worldwide battling with burnout, exhaustion, and disconnect. Japan has already set the ball rolling with Tokyo’s Metropolitan government recently announcing a turn to a 4-day workweek, but mostly to help boost birth rates.
Jamie Dimon, the CEO of JPMorgan, has also said that AI will make working less of a priority. He feels that it would result in a three-and-a-half day workweek.
