As artificial intelligence continues to be championed across industries for driving productivity to unprecedented levels, Senator Bernie Sanders is calling on tech leaders to ensure that these gains benefit workers directly. During a recent conversation with podcast host Joe Rogan, the senator from Vermont noted that if AI truly fulfills its promise to boost efficiency, that productivity improvement should translate into shorter work weeks, affording employees more personal time without loss of pay.
“Technology should serve to improve our lives, not just enrich those who own it,” Sanders told Rogan. “If you’re an employee whose productivity rises thanks to AI, the answer shouldn’t be layoffs or longer hours, but rather reducing your work week to 32 hours.”
Sanders’ suggestion taps into a broader international discussion about how the benefits of technology are distributed across society. Already, several companies around the globe have experimented with or permanently adopted a four-day work schedule, achieving positive results that support the senator’s proposition.
In 2022, 61 companies in the UK participated in a trial of the abbreviated work week, involving approximately 2,900 workers. Results indicated little or no negative impact on business performance; on average, revenue rose slightly by about 1.4%. Similarly, Kickstarter has successfully implemented a four-day work schedule since 2021, and Microsoft Japan’s earlier pilot in 2019 famously recorded increased productivity of up to 40%.
Sanders argues there is ample evidence that reduced working hours can maintain, and often even increase, efficiency and employee satisfaction. More urgently, he contends that workers, not just executives or shareholders, should benefit from technological advancements.
“Let’s harness technology to help workers,” Sanders emphasized. “That means giving you increased freedom to spend time with family and friends, investing in education, or simply enjoying life in ways that matter most to you.”
