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Jack Ma Says 12-Hour Work Week could be the Norm

posted by martyb on Monday October 14 2019, @02:56PM   Printer-friendly
from the wages-vs-prices dept.

Arthur T Knackerbracket has found the following story:

Billionaire Jack Ma, long an outspoken advocate for China's extreme work culture, says that people should be able to work just 12 hours a week with the benefits of artificial intelligence.

People could work as little as three days a week, four hours a day with the help of technology advances and a reform in education systems, the Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. co-founder said at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai Thursday. He spoke on-stage with Elon Musk, the chief executive officer of Tesla Inc. who is building manufacturing facilities in the city.

[...] Just this year, Ma endorsed the China tech sector's infamous 12-hours-a-day, six-days-a-week routine, so common it earned the moniker 996. In one blog post, China's richest man this year dismissed people who expect a typical eight-hour office lifestyle, defying a growing popular backlash.

"I don't worry about jobs," Ma said on Thursday, making an optimistic case that AI will help humans rather than just eliminate their work. "Computers only have chips, men have the heart. It's the heart where the wisdom comes from."

-- submitted from IRC

Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday October 14 2019, @03:52PM (6 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday October 14 2019, @03:52PM (#906982)

    then I can do a lot more than live on 50-60 hours of work a week, even if it takes working several jobs.

    Poor khallow, working long hours for a life style he'll never have time for. And he still doesn't get it.

  • (Score: 2, Insightful) by khallow on Monday October 14 2019, @04:00PM (2 children)

    by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Monday October 14 2019, @04:00PM (#906987) Journal

    Poor khallow, working long hours for a life style he'll never have time for.

    At least in the meantime, I get to putter about in Yellowstone. I don't know what I want in the future, I just know I won't get it now, if I don't save some money. I have far greater freedom by saving money now than if I didn't.

    And what really would I spend it on?

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday October 14 2019, @10:48PM (1 child)

      by Anonymous Coward on Monday October 14 2019, @10:48PM (#907149)

      At least in the meantime, I get to putter about in Yellowstone.

      How's golfing in Yellowstone at night, after you wasted your life time doing regressions and correlations all day?

      • (Score: 2, Informative) by khallow on Monday October 14 2019, @11:33PM

        by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Monday October 14 2019, @11:33PM (#907167) Journal

        How's golfing in Yellowstone at night, after you wasted your life time doing regressions and correlations all day?

        Pretty sweet, but you have to look for the frisbees sometimes.

  • (Score: 2, Informative) by ChrisMaple on Monday October 14 2019, @04:06PM (2 children)

    by ChrisMaple (6964) on Monday October 14 2019, @04:06PM (#906990)

    How sad it is, to be able to afford good food, good clothing, and live in a nice house in a good neighborhood.

    • (Score: 1) by khallow on Monday October 14 2019, @04:41PM

      by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Monday October 14 2019, @04:41PM (#907013) Journal
      And be able to save more than half my salary too? Despite earning less than median, I might add.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday October 14 2019, @10:51PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Monday October 14 2019, @10:51PM (#907151)

      Right, because one's purpose in life is solely to consume now and pay for it with your future 20 years.