The "monastic life" of AI entrepreneurs: We have no booze, no fun

For many entrepreneurs , building a successful company brings dreams of fame and fortune. But a growing number of young AI entrepreneurs are rejecting the luxury of life while single-mindedly pursuing a successful tech startup.

According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), young artificial intelligence entrepreneurs flocking to the Bay Area of ​​the US are living a monastic-like minimalist life, far from the luxury enjoyed by their colleagues.

"Instead of going to a bar and having a drink, why not start a company?" said 23-year-old Emily Yuan, one of the founders of the artificial intelligence finance company Corgi, in an interview with the WSJ.

"SAN FRANCISCO'S SOBERS"

This social distancing approach has been seen before among some tech entrepreneurs. They've even been called "San Francisco sobers."

But the AI ​​generation takes this much further.

Young entrepreneurs aren't just giving up alcohol; they're also sacrificing their social lives and leisure time. In some circles, even basic necessities like food and sleep are being postponed to start a company.

Marty Kausas, 28, founder of Pylon, told the WSJ that he usually consumes canned ready meals:

“My workday is more productive when I don't have to think about food.”

In a post on LinkedIn, Kausas stated that he has been “working 92 hours a week” for the past three weeks:

"I worked from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Thursday, 13 hours on Friday, and 11 hours on Sunday. This isn't meant to show off or encourage us. We just really want to win."

Kausas stated that their goal is to establish a public company valued at $10 billion.

IS THIS A MYTH?

But according to behavioral scientist Jerry Davis, it's hard to say whether these 20-something entrepreneurs are actually working 17-hour days.

Speaking to Futurism, Davis believes this image is a "myth" created to separate future industrial giants from ordinary people.

Miranda Nover, founder of fitness tech startup Fort, told Business Insider that this image of life is crucial for young entrepreneurs:

“If you’re a software or AI entrepreneur, you definitely want to show that: We’re in the office six days a week, we work until 9 p.m., we don’t drink, we don’t go to parties, we don’t do any of that.”