Athira Sethu
Kochi, 28 March 2025
Bill Gates forecasts that over the next decade, artificial intelligence (AI) may transform how we work, potentially shrinking the workweek to two or three days. The better AI performs tasks, the less humans may have to work. Gates believes this will make people more efficient, lower stress levels, and even raise birth rates. Yet, nobody really knows what the future of work will be.
In a recent interview, Gates had his say about the future of work. He said that AI is moving fast, and this might translate to fewer working days. He is of the opinion that in the future, a lot of jobs might be performed by AI rather than human beings.
This is not the first time that Gates has proposed a shorter workweek. In 2023, he indicated that a three-day workweek would become the norm as AI begins to take over more tasks. According to him, life should not be about working all the time.
A shorter workweek might assist those who are already burnt out from work. Most workers were stressed throughout and after the pandemic. Studies indicate that working an hour less, from five to four days, can increase productivity and reduce stress. One company discovered that shortening the workweek resulted in a 24% boost in efficiency and a 50% reduction in burnout.
Other nations are experimenting with shorter workweeks. Tokyo, for instance, implemented a four-day workweek to address Japan’s low birth rate.
Others believe a shorter workweek would be beneficial, but others are hesitant. JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon has predicted that AI might make work less necessary, with a three-and-a-half-day workweek someday. But currently, JPMorgan still asks employees to work five days a week.
AI is not going to take all of the jobs. Gates thinks the work in medicine and education will alter, yet other jobs like sports professionals are not going anywhere. The job future will look different, and maybe we must revise what working really is. When AI will be doing much of the labor, humans are going to be at leisure but will have this problem: what to do about it?
