Mar 01, 2025 20:00:00

Founder Sergey Brin says Google could develop AGI if its engineers worked 60 hours a week in the office

In recent years, various AI research institutes have been working on building 'general-purpose artificial intelligence (AGI)' that can efficiently acquire and adapt new skills in unknown situations like humans, and Google is also working on developing AGI as an AI pioneer. On February 26, 2025, Google founder

Sergey Brin said, 'If employees work on development in the office for 60 hours a week on weekdays, Google can develop AGI and lead the industry.'

Google's Sergey Brin Asks Workers to Spend More Time In the Office - The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/27/technology/google-sergey-brin-return-to-office.html

Google co-founder tells AI staff to stop 'building nanny products' | The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/command-line-newsletter/622045/google-ai-nanny-products

Sergey Brin says AGI is within reach if Googlers work 60-hour weeks - Ars Technica

https://arstechnica.com/google/2025/02/sergey-brin-says-agi-is-within-reach-if-googlers-work-60-hour-weeks/

'It's been two years since Google DeepMind began developing Gemini, and we're very proud of the efforts we've made. But at the same time, the competition among AI developers has accelerated significantly, and we're in the final race to develop AGI. I believe Google DeepMind has all the elements to win this race, but we need to work harder to accelerate our development,' Brin wrote in an internal memo to employees at Google DeepMind, Google's AI development division.

And to develop AGI, Brin said, 'Employees should strive to come into the office every day and work 12 hours a day, 60 hours a week,' calling this the 'sweet spot of productivity.' On the other hand, 'Many employees work less than 60 hours. This group is not only unproductive, but it is also very demoralizing for all other employees,' he said, criticizing employees who are not working hard enough.

Google has set a policy of having employees work in the office three days a week by 2023, but Brin's comments will not change this policy.

Google to ban remote work in principle and include working three days a week in work evaluations - GIGAZINE

Brin also said, 'Use the simplest solutions possible. And develop your products, models, and internal tools quickly. Don't spend 20 minutes running a little bit of Python. Actively abandon ideas and projects that aren't important. We need capable products that we trust our users with, not baby products that don't meet user requirements.'

A Google spokesperson declined to comment on Brin's remarks.