Google Co-Founder Pushes AI Team to Work 60-Hour Weeks in AGI Race 

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The emergence of OpenAI’s ChatGPT ignited an AI race in late 2022, with tech giants scrambling to keep pace. Microsoft doubled down on its AI ambitions, Meta pushed its open-source approach, and Google has fought to reclaim its dominance. Now, Google appears ready to push the envelope even further. 

In an internal memo first reported by The New York Times, Google co-founder Sergey Brin said that for the tech giant to be a leader in the artificial general intelligence (AGI) industry, the company's employees need to work harder. He suggested a 60-hour work week for the Google AI team.

"In my experience, about 60 hours a week is the sweet spot of productivity," Brin wrote in the memo. "Some folks put in a lot more but can burn out or lose creativity. A number of folks work less than 60 hours, and a small number put in the bare minimum to get by."

Brin expressed concern about employees putting in the “bare minimum”, stating that such behavior is "not only unproductive but also highly demoralizing to everyone else."

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Brin’s viewpoint about what is a “sweet spot” for weekly hours does not align with several studies that show that working long hours can have detrimental effects on both physical and mental health. It also may not yield any benefits to the employer, as extended hours have been shown to lead to decreased job performance and productivity. 

John P. Trougakos, a management professor at the University of Toronto, has been a strong proponent that too much time on the job could result in increased errors and decreased motivation, negatively impacting overall job performance. 

While Brin’s words are not an official Google statement about its return-to-office policy, which requires employees to work in the office at least three days a week, the statement provides an indication of what Google executives feel about remote work. 

We have already seen several companies wanting their employees to spend more time in the office. President Trump has also issued an order instructing all federal agencies to end remote work and require full-time in-office attendance. 

The back-to-office approach has been met with significant criticism, with many calling it unrealistic, especially for those who have built their lives around flexible work. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and several other organizations have criticized the move. 

Beyond the debate of office vs. remote working arrangements, Brin’s memo reveals the intensifying pressure on Google to lead in the AGI race. Many of the employees at Google who work on AI systems are focused on the Gemini AI project, which is central to Google’s AI ambitions. Brin has been pushing for Gemini’s development, signaling its strategic importance to the company. 

So, what’s the big deal about AGI? It represents the next frontier in the AI landscape. Having machines that can think, reason, and learn like humans, or even surpass human capabilities in certain tasks, could redefine how technology integrates into daily life. It can have profound implications for industries, economies, and society at large. Many view it as a game-changer, not just Google but also several other key players in the industry. 

OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, kicked off the year by stating that OpenAI has a good understanding of how to create AGI and is now moving to the next frontier: superintelligence. The rapid advancements made in the AGI sector by competitors, such as OpenAI, Meta, and Anthropic, have further increased the pressure on Google.

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"Competition has accelerated immensely, and the final race to AGI is afoot," said Brin in the memo. "I think we have all the ingredients to win this race, but we are going to have to turbocharge our efforts."

In 2019, Sergey Brin and his fellow Google co-founder, Larry Page, stepped away from their daily executive roles at Alphabet, the company's parent organization. However, the meteoric rise of GenAI across the tech industry motivated Brin to re-engage. 

According to the New York Times, Brin has spent significant time at Google's DeepMind AI division. Last year, Brin acknowledged that he "kind of came out of retirement just because the trajectory of AI is so exciting."

While Brin may want his AI team to work longer hours to help Google steam ahead on the AGI race, the workers' well-being and productivity must be considered. The AGI race is more likely to be decided by breakthroughs in research and strategic execution, not just by sheer working hours.