When burnout is unaddressed, it can lead to karoshi–the Japanese term for death from overwork.

AI startups are glorifying exhaustion for the sake of productivity, implementing the “9-9-6 work schedule” in an attempt to “win the AI race,” according to recent reports. Tekendra Parmar, writing in last month’s Inc., says, “In a bid to outpace Chinese rivals, some AI startups are adopting that country’s grueling “9-9-6 work schedule.” But the future of work might actually lie in working less, not more.” Parmar adds that the “9-9-6 work schedule” could actually hurt instead of help productivity.