Zoom CEO Eric Yuan predicts AI could enable 3-day workweeks by 2030

Zoom CEO Eric Yuan predicts that artificial intelligence could enable a three-day workweek by taking over mundane and repetitive tasks, allowing employees to focus on more meaningful work. This vision aligns with growing concerns about employee burnout and the “infinite workday” phenomenon, where workers struggle to disconnect from professional responsibilities even during personal time.

What you should know: Yuan’s prediction comes as companies increasingly integrate AI into workflows to boost productivity and employee satisfaction.

• Microsoft’s Work Trend Index report revealed that employees feel trapped in an “infinite workday,” starting work at 6 AM while still in bed and carrying tasks home through the weekend.
• Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff has already demonstrated this shift, revealing that his company uses AI to handle up to 50% of its tasks and is reconsidering traditional hiring practices for software engineers due to productivity gains from agentic AI.

The trade-off: While AI could create shorter workweeks, it may also eliminate jobs across various sectors.

• Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei recently claimed that AI would slash 50% of entry-level white-collar jobs, particularly impacting Gen Z workers entering the job market.
• This creates a paradox where AI simultaneously promises more leisure time for some workers while potentially displacing others entirely.

What industry leaders are saying: Tech executives have been increasingly vocal about AI’s potential to reshape work schedules.

• Bill Gates, the Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist, floated similar ideas last year, suggesting AI could create a three-day workweek by freeing professionals from time-consuming repetitive tasks.
• Earlier this year, Gates went further, predicting that AI might enable a two-day work opportunity within the next decade.

Why this matters: The conversation reflects a broader shift in how companies view productivity and work-life balance as AI capabilities expand.

• Microsoft’s research shows that AI integration not only boosts employee morale and performance but also provides time for more complex, strategic tasks.
• However, organizations must balance the promise of increased efficiency with the potential social and economic disruption of widespread job displacement.