Originated in China, the “996” schedule of working 9am-9pm, 6 days a week comes to Silicon Valley

Spurred on by AI, the marketplace is reassessing what great talent is, as entry-level hiring precipitously declines across the ecosystem. And there’s one subplot that kept coming up as I was reporting a piece I wrote about the new rules of startup hiring, but that I wasn’t able to include in the original story—about 996. 

996, for the uninitiated, is a work schedule that references working 9 AM to 9 PM, six days a week. It originated in China, but in recent months and years, it has gained traction as a talking point in tech and startups. In 2025, 996 has become commonplace during the AI boom, even popping up in the hiring process.

“From some companies doing executive searches, I’ve heard that some AI companies––not universally but in specific instances––are looking to include 996 clauses in employment contracts,” said Jen Holmstrom, Notable Capital partner. “I thought that was fascinating, and it stood out as something I hadn’t heard before. I think the intent is that founders want to convey the intensity of the environment, and the need for talent that’s not only extremely capable or high potential, but willing to jump in and do whatever it takes.”

This fact has danced around in my head like it has clogs on. As the competition for AI and AI-adjacent talent is headier than ever, the push towards return to office and, ultimately, 996 is simultaneously intense. 

“The thing is that if you find top performers, they’re most likely working six days a week anyway,” said Atli Thorkelsson, Redpoint’s VP of talent network. “They don’t necessarily want it said in an interview that it’s a stated expectation. But if they’re really bought into it, and they’re enjoying their work, they’re probably going to do more than 9-5 anyway.”

Ultimately, Thorkelsson and I agreed: Though working hard will always be in style in Silicon Valley, 996 isn’t going to be for everybody forever. 

“I don’t know how long this will be in fashion,” he said. “As you hire different functions, people have different expectations. If you’re a very early-stage startup, especially in AI, you’re probably hiring a lot of younger people. In your early 20s, it’s conceivable that you can sign up to go to the office six days a week. But when you’re bringing in leadership and other functions, when you get to a couple hundred people, I have a hard time seeing that as a sustainable expectation.”

See you tomorrow,

Allie Garfinkle
X: @agarfinks
Email: alexandra.garfinkle@fortune.com
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