Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt has retracted his earlier assertion that Google’s remote work approach was putting them at a disadvantage in the race for AI dominance, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
Schmidt, who led Google from 2001 to 2011, initially stated during an April lecture at Stanford University that the company might be compromising its competitive edge by prioritizing work-life balance.
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“Google prioritized work-life balance, allowing early departures and remote work over winning the AI race,” Schmidt remarked during the lecture. He emphasized that the relentless work ethic common in startups was missing.
Schmidt added that the intense working conditions of startups preclude flexible remote work policies if they aim to compete effectively.
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However, Schmidt has since retracted his claims, admitting he “misspoke about Google and their work hours” in an email to The Wall Street Journal, expressing regret over his earlier comments.
What is the stance of other prominent CEOs on remote work?
Eric Schmidt’s initial viewpoint is echoed by several other prominent tech leaders.
For instance, OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman cited one of the biggest blunders in tech as enabling permanent remote work, as mentioned in a 2023 interview with Fortune Magazine. Altman believes the technological capabilities haven’t yet matured to support permanent remote setups.
Notably, OpenAI employs a hybrid approach, balancing both remote and office-based work.
Similarly, Google mandates that most employees work on-site at least three days a week, as per a company blog post.
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Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk stated in a 2023 CNBC interview that remote work is “morally wrong.”
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has also commented that those working from home are less efficient, indicating that in-office engineers tend to achieve more.
Meanwhile, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff believes that although many employees are highly productive remotely, there is still a need for certain roles, like sales, to be based in the office for optimal performance.
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, Elon Musk (Tesla), and Mark Zuckerberg (Meta), who also criticize remote work, though some like Salesforce's Marc Benioff acknowledge productivity at home varies by role. Google maintains a hybrid work policy.){kind=link}