Indian-origin CEO’s 84-hour workweek draws criticism, similar to Narayana Murthy’s 70-hour stance

Greptile, a San Francisco-based AI startup, and its Indian-origin CEO, Daksh Gupta, have faced significant backlash after Gupta shared details of the company's demanding work culture. In a post on the X platform, Gupta highlighted the company's long working hours and lack of work-life balance, which quickly went viral and ignited an intense online debate.

Gupta's post

Gupta’s post revealed that he openly informs potential hires about the company's strenuous work conditions, which include workdays from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., and regular Saturday shifts, sometimes extending into Sundays. He stated that employees typically work 84 hours a week, with no “work-life balance,” emphasising that this transparency is to help candidates make informed decisions before joining. The post received over 1.6 million views and provoked widespread criticism. Critics accused Gupta of exploiting workers, while others questioned the ethics of such a work culture. One user on X suggested that while transparency was important, giving weekends off might improve productivity.

Many critics raised concerns about the negative effects of such intense work schedules on employees’ mental health. They argued that lack of rest could lead to poor decision-making and diminished output quality, urging for a better balance between work and personal life.

In response, Gupta acknowledged the backlash but defended his company’s approach, clarifying that the demanding schedule was a temporary measure aimed at helping Greptile achieve “escape velocity” during its early growth phase. He assured critics that as the company matures, the work culture will evolve to better support the needs of experienced employees. Gupta also addressed accusations of racial bias, clarifying that his management style was shaped by his experiences in San Francisco, not his Indian heritage.

Broader Debate on Work Culture

The controversy has sparked a wider debate about the sustainability of extreme work cultures in startups. Gupta’s comments echo a larger conversation about the trade-offs between rapid company growth and employee well-being. This mirrors past remarks by Indian industry leaders such as Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy, who suggested a 70-hour workweek for Indian workers, a view supported by Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal. Both Gupta and Aggarwal have defended long hours as necessary for economic progress, with Aggarwal even claiming that work-life balance is a “bad habit.”

The debate highlights concerns about the “hustle culture” prevalent in startups and countries like China, where the 996 work culture (9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week) is widely practiced. This has led to significant pushback, including China’s “lying flat” movement, where young people reject extreme work expectations in favour of a simpler lifestyle. Similar trends are emerging in the West, with younger workers opting for “quiet quitting,” rejecting the notion of constantly striving for more.

Critics of Gupta’s views argue that long work hours neglect employee health and long-term productivity. Medical experts warn that overwork is linked to serious health conditions such as heart disease and stroke, emphasising the dangers of pushing employees beyond their limits.