Sergey Brin told Google staff that working 60 hours a week is the 'sweet spot'
Sergey Brin believes Google can win the race to artificial general intelligence and outlined his ideas for how to do that—including a workweek that’s 50% longer than the standard 40 hours.
In an internal memo seen by the New York Times , the Google cofounder told employees working on Gemini, the company’s suite of AI products, that he recommends being in the office “at least every weekday” and that “60 hours a week is the sweet spot of productivity.”
He also warned against working more than 60 hours a week, saying it could lead to burnout , while calling out those who work less.
“A number of folks work less than 60 hours, and a small number put in the bare minimum to get by,” Brin wrote in February. “This last group is not only unproductive but also can be highly demoralizing to everyone else.”
A source close to the matter declined to comment, but the Times said the memo doesn’t signal a departure from the tech giant’s official policy for employees to work in the office at least three days a week. Recently, Google said staff on some teams will have to come into the office more often, though did not specify which departments would be affected when asked by Fortune .
Brin’s exhortations highlight the urgency to develop artificial general intelligence, or AGI, which is AI that’s as smart as or smarter than humans.