In a recent interview, Zoom Video Communications Inc. Chief Executive Eric Yuan painted a provocative picture of the future workplace, suggesting that artificial intelligence could soon usher in a three-day workweek for many employees. Speaking to Fortune, Yuan aligned his views with those of tech luminaries like Nvidia Corp.’s Jensen Huang and JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s Jamie Dimon, arguing that AI-driven automation will eliminate certain jobs but reward survivors with dramatically reduced hours.

Yuan, who founded Zoom in 2011 and steered it through explosive growth during the pandemic, has long championed AI as a transformative force. He predicts that within years, not decades, AI agents could handle mundane tasks, allowing humans to focus on creative and strategic work. This isn’t mere optimism; Yuan points to Zoom’s own AI Companion tool, which already summarizes meetings and generates notes, as a harbinger of broader efficiencies.

AI’s Dual Edge: Productivity Gains and Job Displacement

Yet Yuan doesn’t shy away from the technology’s darker side. In the same Fortune discussion, he acknowledged that AI will “erase some human jobs,” echoing sentiments from Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gates, who has similarly forecasted shorter workweeks enabled by machine intelligence. Industry insiders note that this mirrors ongoing pilots, such as those at companies experimenting with four-day weeks, where productivity hasn’t dipped despite fewer hours.

Data from recent studies supports this shift. A report highlighted in HR Grapevine suggests that AI could redefine work-life balance by automating repetitive roles, potentially standardizing four-day weeks within two decades. Yuan goes further, proposing that AI clones—digital avatars handling routine communications—could slash workdays to three, freeing time for innovation or leisure.

Echoes from Tech Titans and Historical Precedents

This vision isn’t isolated. As detailed in a Benzinga article, Yuan’s comments at the Concordia Summit echoed Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. founder Jack Ma’s earlier predictions of four-hour days and three-day weeks by mid-century. Posts on X (formerly Twitter) reflect growing public sentiment, with users debating how AI might first benefit knowledge workers while leaving manual laborers scrambling for relevance.

Critics, however, warn of uneven impacts. While executives like Dimon foresee a “3.5-day workweek” for future generations, as reported in Bloomberg coverage of his remarks, labor economists argue that without policy interventions like universal basic income, job losses could exacerbate inequality. Yuan counters this by emphasizing reskilling: In an exclusive Fortune interview last year, he described Zoom’s pivot from video conferencing to an AI-centric platform, challenging rivals like Microsoft and Google.

Zoom’s AI Roadmap and Broader Industry Shifts

At Zoomtopia 2025, as previewed in UC Today, Yuan showcased voice AI integrations that could automate entire workflows, from scheduling to data analysis. This aligns with emerging trends, where firms like Emergence Capital—whose general partner Santi Subotovsky is set to discuss post-boom innovation with Yuan at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, per TechCrunch—are investing in AI to sustain growth amid market slowdowns.

For industry insiders, the real question is implementation. Yuan’s earlier admission in a Fortune piece that “work is life” for him personally contrasts with his AI-fueled leisure predictions, highlighting a tension between current corporate cultures and utopian futures. As AI adoption accelerates, companies must navigate ethical automation, ensuring that shorter weeks don’t come at the cost of widespread displacement.

Looking Ahead: Policy and Societal Implications

Policymakers are taking note. Discussions on X indicate mixed reactions, with some users hailing AI as a path to abundance, while others fear a jobless underclass. Yuan’s optimism, shared in Allwork.Space, posits family as the sole exception to work’s dominance, suggesting AI could finally tip the balance toward personal fulfillment.

Ultimately, if Yuan’s forecast holds, the three-day workweek could redefine productivity metrics, compelling leaders to rethink compensation and corporate structures. As one tech executive anonymously noted in recent web forums, the transition will demand bold experimentation—much like Zoom’s own evolution from pandemic darling to AI innovator.