In recent years, leading tech giants such as Google, OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta have invested billions of dollars annually to develop AI. Executives from these companies have repeatedly outlined an appealing vision: with artificial intelligence taking over routine tasks, humans will enjoy shorter working hours and be completely liberated from repetitive labor. Even a Google engineering director once predicted that the widespread adoption of AI would lead to a four-day workweek by 2025, while OpenAI has also advocated for companies to trial a four-day workweek without salary cuts.

However, recent revelations from former employees who left top AI companies indicate that the reality is the exact opposite of the initial optimistic expectations. AI has not reduced employees' working hours but instead significantly increased overall work intensity. During certain project peaks, some employees worked more than 90 hours per week, falling into an intense "9006" rhythm.

Industry insiders point out that the AI technology, which was supposed to relieve human burdens and improve health, has not translated its efficiency gains into more personal leisure time for workers. Instead, it has been transformed into additional pressure to achieve higher KPIs.