June 26 News.USAIn an interview with podcast host Joe Rogan, Vermont's independent Senator Bernie Sanders suggested that tech companies should incorporate theAIThe productivity gains that result translate into more time off for workers, not just more profits for business owners and executives.
Sanders noted, "Technology should benefit all of us, not just the CEOs of the companies and big businesses that own it. If workers are more productive as a result of using AI, then instead of laying them off, companies should reduce the work week to 32 hours."
For the tech industry's best and brightest, AI-driven productivity gains mean that companies can achieve more because employees will be freed up to take on more tasks or companies can save money by laying off employees. For workers, on the other hand, such efficiency gains could mean that they can complete their current workload in less time, while their wages are not affected. Saunders emphasizes that this is not a radical idea, and that there are already a number of companies around the world that have successfully implemented similar models.
For example, 1AINote that in the UK, 61 companies (around 2,900 employees) piloted a four-day working week in the second half of 2022. Of the 23 companies that shared financial data, revenue remained largely unchanged from the start to the end of the pilot, with an average increase of 1.41 TP3 T. Additionally, crowdfunding platform Kickstarter has had a four-day workweek in place since 2021, while Microsoft Japan reported a productivity increase of 401 TP3 T after piloting the model in 2019.
Sanders urged, "Let's use technology for the benefit of workers so they can spend more time with their families, friends, or for learning and doing what they love."