According to a report by Kuai Keji on February 9, Silicon Valley has long been regarded as the gold standard for workplaces worldwide, representing freedom and high salaries.
However, this myth has been shattered by harsh reality over the past two years. A work pattern familiar to many - the 996 schedule - is spreading wildly in Silicon Valley.
As the AI race turns into a white-hot arms race, the once-praised flexible work and afternoon tea breaks have gradually been replaced by lights burning late into the night in office buildings.
Senior research scientist Nathan Lambert said in a recent podcast that while Silicon Valley has not fully copied China's 996 model, the trend is shifting toward greater intensity.
This phenomenon is particularly prominent in AI companies, and he directly named OpenAI and Anthropic as current examples.
Lambert emphasized that such intense commitment comes with significant human costs, including less time with family, narrowed vision, and health problems.
When sleep is deprived, social life is compressed, and the mind remains under constant strain, people can be completely worn down. This is not only physical exhaustion but also leads to drained creativity and even widespread burnout.
The deeper crisis is that Silicon Valley's original strength lies in innovation, which requires room for thinking rather than mere physical toil. Burning out top minds on mechanical overtime will ultimately devour the very soul of the entire tech industry.
