Silicon Valley Startups Go All In on China's 996 Grind

A grueling work schedule that sparked controversy in China has found a new home: Silicon Valley. Known as "996," the regime calls for working 9am to 9pm, six days a week—an eyebrow-raising 72 hours. Once criticized in China for fueling burnout and even linked to worker deaths, the practice is now being openly adopted by some fast-moving AI startups in the US, staffing expert Adrian Kinnersley tells Wired. "It's becoming increasingly common," he notes, with some companies screening job candidates based on their willingness to commit to 996.

The shift marks a stark reversal from conversations early in the pandemic about burnout and work-life balance in US tech. Now, the competitive drive—especially in AI—has startups pushing the limits. At Rilla, an AI firm, nearly the entire 80-person workforce follows the 996 schedule. As the company's head of growth quips, "Kobe Bryant dedicated all his waking hours to basketball, and I don't think there's a lot of people saying that Kobe Bryant shouldn't have worked as hard as he did." The company is transparent about its expectations, warning in job ads that those unwilling to embrace 70-hour weeks need not apply. Kinnersley warns that many of these US firms may be ignoring labor laws in their rush to innovate, risking significant liabilities.

Other company founders say the schedule is vital at the leadership level, but shouldn't be forced on all employees. Still, some startups are experimenting with incentives like hefty pay and equity boosts for those opting into the grueling hours, creating a kind of two-speed workplace.

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While some see 996 as essential in the race to build billion-dollar companies, European firms remain less enthusiastic. Harry Stebbings, founder of venture capital fund 20VC, tells CNBC that he has taken a lot of flak for suggesting that Europeans work longer hours. "When you go to the Valley now, and when you go to China now, they are working seven days a week in the fastest-growing companies," he says. "It's that simple. So, if you want to be a $10 billion company in Europe, competing against them, you can't do it on a nine-to-five, Monday to Friday."