A San Francisco tech CEO, Scott Wu, is offering buyouts to staff from a recently acquired startup, Windsurf, encouraging them to leave if they cannot handle an intense work culture. Wu emphasizes that employees should be prepared for 80-hour work weeks and a total commitment to the company's mission, indicating that this lifestyle is not suitable for everyone. The buyout consists of nine months of pay, making it an attractive option compared to typical severance packages.
AI researchers and executives in Silicon Valley are pushing themselves to extreme work schedules, often exceeding 100 hours a week, as they strive to keep up with rapid advancements in artificial intelligence. The relentless pace is driven by competition and the pursuit of superhuman intelligence systems.