AI's Brutal 'Grind Culture' Fuels a High-Stakes War of Attrition

An extreme "grind culture" is becoming the default operating model in San Francisco’s AI startup scene, driven by intense anxiety over competitive pressures. This normalization of 12-hour days and seven-day workweeks represents a strategic inflection point, where speed-to-market is prioritized above all else. It signals a belief that immense personal sacrifice is the minimum requirement to stay relevant in the capital-intensive, fast-moving race for AI dominance, establishing a new baseline for venture-backed ambition.

This trend directly benefits large, well-capitalized incumbents who can weather the talent churn and acquire struggling teams, while putting immense pressure on startups to maintain a perilous pace. The ripple effect is a bifurcated talent market where companies demanding "balance" may be perceived as less competitive. It raises critical questions about the long-term sustainability of this model and its impact on innovation, setting a precedent that could soon bleed into other tech-adjacent sectors.