Workers may be hoping that in the new year, AI will finally take over their tedious tasks, lightening their workload and shortening their workweek, or at least giving them more space to live outside of the office.
And that's especially what young people want. According to Randstad, 74% of Gen Z cite work-life balance as a top priority when choosing a job in 2025, the highest of any generation. And this is the first time in more than 20 years of reporting for Work Monitor that work-life balance has surpassed pay for all workers.
But as AI reshapes corporate structures and increases productivity levels, many executives are working harder than ever and expecting others to follow.
From pushing for a return-to-office mandate to celebrating 24-hour availability, CEOs are modeling a culture where the line between work and life is blurred. For example, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang said he worked seven days a week this year, including holidays. Zoom CEO Eric Yuan simply acknowledged that “work is life.”
And as we head into 2026, it is unclear whether the dream of work-life balance will become a reality.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang
As the leader of the world's most valuable company, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has a lot on his mind. But relaxation doesn't seem to be part of the plan.
His work schedule is truly grueling, from the moment he wakes up in the morning until he goes back to bed, seven days a week, including holidays. It's a struggle brought on not only by the intensity of the AI race, but also by a deep-seated fear of what will happen if we let our guard down.
“You know the phrase '30 days out of business'? It's a phrase I've been using for 33 years,” Huang said on the show. joe rogan experience Released in December. “But those feelings don't change. Those feelings of vulnerability, uncertainty, and insecurity never leave you.”
That thinking extends beyond Hwang himself. His two children, both of whom work at Nvidia, are following in his footsteps and working every day for the semiconductor giant. For the Huang family, work is more than just a job, it's a way of life.
Zoom CEO Eric Yuan
Video communications giant Zoom has had the biggest indirect impact on the work-life balance debate by allowing employees to log on from the comfort of their beds, the beach, or anywhere in between.
But in the process of growing his company to a market cap of more than $25 billion, Zoom CEO Eric Yuan has revealed that work-life balance is a travesty.
“I tell my team, 'Guys, there's no way to balance it. Work is life and life is work,'” Yuan said in an interview on the Grit podcast over the summer.
Ewan even admits that he doesn't have any hobbies, and everything he does is focused on “family and Zoom.” But when a conflict arises and a choice has to be made, the 55-year-old gives life some space. “Whenever there's a conflict, what happens? Family comes first. That's it.”
TIAA CEO Sasunda Brown Duckett
Susunda Brown Duckett, CEO of financial services company TIAA, has long disliked the term “work-life balance,” often calling it a complete lie, and this year was no exception.
In a social media post on Mother's Day this spring, Duckett reiterated that assessment.
“Stop the work-life balance hype,” she wrote. “What's the truth? The balance seems perfect, but it's a trap.”
“Instead, think of your life like a diverse portfolio. You only have 100% to give, and there are lots of places to allocate. So give with intention. If motherhood is giving you 30% today, make it a strong present 30%,” she added.
For Duckett, constantly evaluating how much time you can devote to all the things in your life that require your attention is what a truly healthy relationship between work and life looks like.
“Some days you may not feel like the best mother, leader, partner, or friend you can be. But over time, if you lead with purpose, you are more than good enough.”
Palantir CEO Alex Karp
This year has been a big year for Palantir, with its stock price up about 140%.
Earlier this year, CEO Alex Karp warned young people looking to get their careers off the ground: “If you want to be successful, cut out the frills in your life.”
“I've never met anyone who was 20 years old and had a great social life and was really successful,” Karp said at Chicago's Economic Club in May.
“If that's what you want, that's great, but you're not going to be successful and you don't have to blame anyone else.”
While Karp's comments may sting for Gen Z, especially since they are the generation that values work-life balance the most, Karp believes that putting in the time when they're younger will be worth it all when they're older and have a more cushy job.
“Most people have something they are talented at and enjoy doing. Focus on that. Plan your entire life around that,” Karp added. “Don't worry too much about money. It sounds hypocritical now, but I never really did. And once you get off the meth, you'll be fine.”
Former Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos
Jeff Bezos may no longer run Amazon on a day-to-day basis, but he remains deeply involved as chairman of the board, growing Blue Origin and supporting new AI ventures.
Like some of his colleagues, Bezos has long challenged the very idea of balance.
“I don't like the word 'balance' because it suggests trade-offs,” Bezos said at Italian Tech Week in October. “People often ask me, 'How do you approach work-life balance?'” And I say, “I like work-life balance, because if I'm happy at home, I'll be successful at work.” If you're better at work, you'll be better at home. ”These things happen at the same time. It's not a strict trade-off. ”
This isn't the first time Bezos has expressed dissatisfaction with the concept of work-life balance. In 2018, Bezos called it “debilitating language.” This is because it implies that one must give in order for the other to prosper. Instead, he preferred the word “harmony” and likened the concept to a “circle.”
Jamie Dimon is one of Wall Street's most outspoken defenders of full-time in-house work. Earlier this year, he capped off the move by directly bringing back most of JPMorgan's 300,000 employees and opening the bank's new $3 billion headquarters in Manhattan.
But while Mr. Dimon has taken a hard line on how work should be done, he has long maintained that maintaining balance is ultimately the responsibility of individuals, not companies.
“It's your job to protect your mind, body, spirit, soul, your friends, your family, your health. It's your job, not ours,” he said in a clip originally posted in 2024 but resurfaced this year.
