Would you sign up to work nearly twice the standard 40-hour week? For many American startups, that’s the new expectation. Borrowing a system first pushed by tech giants in China, companies are adopting “996,” shorthand for 9 am to 9 pm, six days a week. That’s 72 hours on the job, a routine so controversial in China it sparked nationwide protests and accusations of “modern slavery,” with critics linking the schedule to worker exhaustion and even deaths.
Some US firms, especially in the fast-moving world of artificial intelligence, are embracing the model, betting that longer hours will help them keep pace with rivals at home and abroad. And as American startups flirt with China’s most controversial work culture, the question remains: is “996” the future of innovation, or a dangerous step backward?
Click through to see how this demanding schedule is reshaping work on both sides of the Pacific.