Sen. Bernard Sanders says if artificial intelligence can help workers get more done in less time, they should work fewer hours — not fear for their jobs.
“You’re a worker, your productivity is increasing because we give you AI, right?” the Vermont independent said recently on “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast. “Instead of throwing you out on the street, I’m going to reduce your workweek to 32 hours.”
Mr. Sanders, who introduced a 32-hour workweek bill last year, argued that the promise of AI should translate into real gains for workers, not just bigger profits for CEOs and shareholders.
“It’s about using technology to benefit workers, not just to make billionaires richer,” he told Mr. Rogan.
The idea is also gaining traction among proponents of the four-day workweek who see artificial intelligence as a tool to improve work-life balance rather than a threat to employment.
Juliet Schor, an economist and author of “Four Days a Week,” told Axios the four-day workweek community is “buzzing about AI right now,” seeing reduced hours as a way to keep more people employed as AI technology rapidly advances.
“The ability of large language models like ChatGPT to wipe out millions of good-paying positions means we need to be intentional about how we adjust to that technology,” Ms. Schor said. “Reducing hours per job is a powerful way to keep more people employed.”
Mr. Sanders said some companies are already testing it out: “By the way, not a radical idea … there are companies around the world that are doing it with some success.”
Roger Kirkness, CEO of the software startup Convictional, recently moved his 12-person team to a four-day week without cutting pay, telling staff to “look at Fridays like weekends,” per Axios.
One employee, software engineer Nick Wehner, told Axios he was “so happy,” noting how much faster AI tools have made his work.
Mr. Kirkness said while AI speeds up coding, the best work still requires focus and rest.
“[Nearly] all that matters in work moving forward is the maximization of creativity, human judgment, emotional intelligence, prompting skills and deeply understanding a customer domain,” he told staff, per Axios. “None of those things correlate with hours.”
Governments are also embracing shorter workweeks.
In the U.S., New York recently became the 11th state to consider legislation for a pilot four-day week, while local governments across the country are testing shorter schedules, with some reporting cost savings.
Spain recently reduced its national workweek to 37.5 hours, and Tokyo implemented a four-day schedule for public employees. Poland has launched a pilot program, joining similar efforts in the Dominican Republic, Scotland, Belgium and Portugal.
And supporters like Mr. Sanders argue the time is right to revisit work hours, much like the push for a five-day workweek in the early 20th century.
“Let’s use technology to benefit workers,” the Vermont senator told Mr. Rogan. “That means give you more time with your family, with your friends, for education, whatever the hell you wanna do.”
