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Technology · The Guardian TechnologyWed, 18 Feb 2026 13:00:34 GMT

The bogus four-day workweek that AI supposedly ‘frees up’

Business leaders tout AI as a path to shorter weeks and better balance. But without power, workers are unlikely to share the gains The front-page headline in a recent Washington Post was breathless: “These companies say AI is key to their four-day workweeks.

” The subhead was euphoric: “Some companies are giving workers back more time as artificial intelligence takes over more tasks.” As the Post explained: “more companies may move toward a shortened workweek, several executives and researchers predict, as workers, especially those in younger generations, continue to push for better work-life balance.” Robert Reich, a former US secretary of labor, is a professor of public policy emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley.

He is a Guardian US columnist and his newsletter is at robertreich.substack.com . His new book, Coming Up Short: A Memoir of My America, is out now Continue reading... Business leaders tout AI as a path to shorter weeks and better balance.

But without power, workers are unlikely to share the gains The front-page headline in a recent Washington Post was breathless: “These companies say AI is key to their four-day workweeks.

” The subhead was euphoric: “Some companies are giving workers back more time as artificial intelligence takes over more tasks.” As the Post explained: “more companies may move toward a shortened workweek, several executives and researchers predict, as workers, especially those in younger generations, continue to push for better work-life balance.” Robert Reich, a former US secretary of labor, is a professor of public policy emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley.

He is a Guardian US columnist and his newsletter is at robertreich.substack.com . His new book, Coming Up Short: A Memoir of My America, is out now Continue reading...