Senator Bernie Sanders Proposes 32-Hour Workweek Amid AI Workforce Shifts

Senator Bernie Sanders is advocating for a 32-hour workweek without pay cuts, arguing that advances in artificial intelligence and automation should lead to shorter working hours rather than layoffs or increased workloads for employees. Speaking on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Sanders emphasized that AI-driven productivity gains should benefit workers by providing more personal time for family, education, and leisure, instead of solely increasing corporate profits or causing job losses. He introduced the Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act, which proposes gradual implementation of this reduced workweek with mandated overtime pay for hours beyond 32. Sanders criticized tech companies for using AI to cut jobs, highlighting recent layoffs at Microsoft and warnings from Amazon's CEO about workforce reductions due to AI efficiencies. He stressed that technology should improve the lives of workers, not just CEOs, and pointed to successful trials of shorter workweeks globally as evidence that such a shift is feasible and beneficial. This push challenges the traditional corporate focus on maximizing output, advocating instead for a more equitable distribution of technological benefits to reduce burnout and improve quality of life.