The ‘996’ work schedule is gaining traction in the U.S. AI sector, even though it has been banned in China

A standard 9-to-5 may no longer be enough to compete in Silicon Valley’s high-stakes artificial intelligence boom.

Increasingly, young tech firms are embracing the so-called “996” work schedule — 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week.

Once a hallmark of China’s intense tech industry, the 72-hour workweek was banned there in 2021, but in California, it’s gaining new attention. Workers are posting about it on LinkedIn and X, using it as a badge of ambition and dedication, according to the New York Times and Bloomberg.