Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders recently appeared on the Joe Rogan podcast, where he argued that if artificial intelligence increases worker productivity, the logical outcome should be a shorter work week. Specifically, he proposed transitioning to a four-day work week.
Sanders made these remarks during a June 24 episode of Joe Rogan’s podcast.
“You are a worker, your productivity is increasing because we give you AI, right?” Sanders stated. “Instead of throwing you out on the street, I’m going to reduce your work week to 32 hours.”
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He continued: “By the way, not a radical idea. There are companies around the world that are doing it, with some success.”
Sanders has regularly advocated for a four-day work week and pointed out that the United Auto Workers union pushed hard for it in their latest contract negotiations. Last year, he introduced the Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act, which emphasized that transitioning to a shorter work week should occur “with no loss in pay.”
“Let’s use technology to benefit workers,” Sanders emphasized during the interview. “That means, give you more time with your family, with your friends, for education, whatever the hell you want to do — you don’t have to work 40 hours a week anymore.”
While it seems unlikely that corporate leaders will embrace the notion of reducing work hours for the same pay, perhaps one day AI will afford us all more leisure time.
