Quick Summary
- 007 culture is the new 996, a 24/7 grind culture emerging in U.S. AI startups.
- Startups like Rilla and Fella & Delilah are normalizing 70+ hour weeks.
- Elon Musk and Sergey Brin are vocal proponents of extreme work hours.
- Labor experts say the trend may violate workplace laws, but enforcement is scarce.
- China, once the poster child of overwork, has legally banned 996. Meanwhile, Silicon Valley celebrates it.
- The cost? Burnout, inequality, and potential legal exposure.
As China clamps down on its notorious “996” culture, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week, Silicon Valley is sprinting in the opposite direction. For America’s AI startups, the new gold standard is “007 culture”: midnight to midnight, seven days a week. What Chinese courts banned as exploitative in 2021 is now being reframed by U.S. tech entrepreneurs as necessary, even noble.
The message is clear: if you want to build the next $10 billion AI company, sleep and balance are optional.
What Is 007 Culture, and How Did We Get Here?
The term “996” became infamous in China’s tech circles during the 2010s. Pioneered by firms like Alibaba and Huawei, the grueling schedule drew national attention, sparked online protests, and was eventually declared illegal by China’s Supreme Court in 2021.
Fast forward to 2025, and Silicon Valley’s AI boom is fueling something even more extreme. A growing number of startups now expect, or quietly demand, round-the-clock devotion. Enter “007”: the all-day, every-day hustle. No breaks, no weekends, no boundaries.
Who’s Leading the 007 Culture Charge?
Startups Driving the Culture
- Rilla, a San Francisco-based AI company, openly tells new hires to expect 70-hour workweeks. The firm provides daily meals — including Saturdays — and most of its 80 employees maintain the punishing schedule.
- At Fella & Delilah, employees are offered 25% higher pay and double the equity if they commit to a 996-style contract. Less than 10% have opted in — but the offer sends a clear signal: hustle is now a competitive edge.
VCs and Founders Are Fanning the Flames
- VC Harry Stebbings says it plainly: “If you want to build a $100 million company, five days a week is fine. For a $10 billion one, it’s seven days.” He claims Chinese firms are already operating in 007 mode with rotating teams around the clock.
- Elon Musk, no stranger to overwork culture, told X employees to prepare for an “extremely hardcore” environment. Sergey Brin recently stated that 60 hours per week is the “sweet spot” for AI productivity at Google’s Gemini team.
Why the Work Culture Is Shifting
A perfect storm is fueling this resurgence of extreme hours:
- Geopolitical rivalry: With China perceived to be pulling back from its aggressive approach, Silicon Valley sees an opportunity to outpace its rival in AI.
- Trillion-dollar stakes: From generative models to autonomous agents, AI is considered the next industrial revolution. The fear of falling behind is driving founders and teams to work longer, faster, and harder.
- Cultural idolization: Many Gen-Z startup founders idolize figures like Musk and Steve Jobs, often mimicking their legendary (and often toxic) work ethics.
- VC pressure: Investors want to see hypergrowth. Long hours are romanticized as a badge of commitment and “visionary leadership.”
But Is It Legal — or Sustainable?
Not everyone is cheering this return to 996. Labor experts warn that California’s labor laws — which include strict overtime rules, mandatory breaks, and protections against overwork — are being quietly ignored by AI firms operating in startup stealth mode.
“Many of these companies are wildly noncompliant,” said one employment attorney, speaking anonymously. “But until someone sues or a state agency cracks down, the culture will continue.”
So far, enforcement is limited, and there’s little appetite among lawmakers to scrutinize America’s golden goose: artificial intelligence.
The Human Cost of ‘007’
While 007 may sound like an edgy hustle tagline, its implications are serious:
- Burnout is inevitable: Long hours may temporarily boost output, but research shows diminishing returns, and a mental health crisis follow close behind.
- Retention suffers: Talented engineers may accept the grind short-term, but few can sustain it. The eventual fallout can tank morale and trigger attrition.
- Exclusivity increases: Only a certain demographic, young, single, child-free men, can feasibly comply with these expectations, making tech less inclusive by design.
A Culture War in the Making?
Ironically, as China, the birthplace of 996, steps back from overwork, Silicon Valley is doubling down. The contrast is sharp:
| Region | Work Culture Trend | Legal Environment |
|---|---|---|
| China | Moving away from 996 | Supreme Court ruled it illegal |
| Silicon Valley | Embracing 007 | Lax enforcement, gray areas |
In a global tech race where speed trumps sustainability, the West appears to be learning all the wrong lessons from the East.
