Last Updated:September 10, 2025, 10:22 IST

Silicon Valley tech giants battle for AI dominance, offering huge pay and adopting the 9-9-6 culture in San Francisco startups.

AI Boom, Human Cost: San Francisco Startups Push 9-9-6 Work Schedule

The race for AI heats up, with tech companies in Silicon Valley pouring billions into overpowering others and grabbing the largest pie in the emerging market. Companies have reportedly begun poaching human resources by offering millions of dollars in a pay package. No one wishes to lag behind when things are high at stake. Everyone is ready to pour sweat and blood, literal and metaphorical.

At the center of this heated race, a new culture called 9-9-6 has emerged in the startups of San Francisco, USA.

What Is 9-9-6 Culture?

It means employees of these startups work from 9 in the morning to 9 in the evening, Monday through Saturday. It translates to 72 hours of work weekly, going away from 4 or 5 day work week culture being promoted across Europe, particularly Nordic countries for more leisure time.

An X handle named TBPN in the post said that they checked the receipts and found that the claims are “true” – Saturdays have become a workday.  “The great lock-in is in full effect,” it added.

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