Four-Day Workweek and AI Adoption: Boosting Employee Embrace
Bosses, if you’re struggling to get yoru people excited about AI, here’s one idea: Embrace the four-day workweek.
Sharing some of AI’s promised efficiency gains with employees – by letting them work fewer hours, not just get more done – could help get workers on board with a technology that some fear might ultimately replace them, authors of a new book advocating for a shorter workweek told Business Insider.
Letting workers put in four days’ work for five days’ pay would be one way to “share the rewards” of innovation and technological advancement, said Jared Lindzon, a coauthor of the book “Do More in Four.”
When it comes to AI, giving workers more time away from their jobs could make it more likely they’d get behind the technology “because they’re getting part of that benefit,” rather than standing in the way of it, he said.
Joe O’Connor, Lindzon’s coauthor, said that when it comes to discussions about AI in the workplace, the conversation among workers often turns to fears of job cuts.
‘Cultural resistance and emotional friction’
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Anxiety about AI-induced layoffs might be one reason rolling out the technology has proven difficult for some companies. In an early 2025 survey of business leaders in eight countries from the IT company Kyndryl, 45% of CEOs said their workers were resisting the technology.
“Cultural resistance and emotional friction” are the biggest obstacles to AI adoption, according to a report from Boston Consulting Group.
The idea that AI could allow people to work less isn’t new. For years, the technology’s advocates have said it could free up humans to do more of what they love, while handing off the grunt work to bots. The CEO of startup Mechanize, for example, says the company’s aim is to automate every job.
That notion has led some of the biggest corporate luminaries to predict that working hours could plummet as AI adoption increases. Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates has said that time on the clock might shrink to two days, while JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon has said workweeks of 3.5 days could become a thing.
Even Nvidia’s Jensen Huang – known for regularly putting in 14-hour days at the chipmaker and working on holidays – has said he could see the tech allowing for more time away from the office.
Politicians have weighed in, too. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, citing efficiency gains from technology such as AI, introduced legislation in 2024 to trim the standar“`html
US Federal Student Loan Forgiveness Programs - 2026 Update
As of January 14, 2026, several federal student loan forgiveness programs are available to borrowers, following significant legal challenges and program revisions. These programs aim to provide debt relief to eligible individuals based on their employment, income, or other specific criteria. This report details the current status of key programs, eligibility requirements, and submission processes.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
The Public service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program offers forgiveness of federal student loan balances after 120 qualifying monthly payments made while working full-time for a qualifying employer.
PSLF was established by the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007. Initially, the program faced criticism for its strict eligibility requirements and low approval rates. However, the Biden-Harris Management implemented temporary waivers and permanent adjustments to broaden access. The most recent adjustments, finalized in April 2024, continue to be in effect as of January 2026. Qualifying employers include government organizations at all levels, 501(c)(3) non-profits, and certain other non-profit organizations.
For example, a teacher working full-time at a public school for ten years, making qualifying payments, would be eligible for PSLF. The PSLF Help Tool on the Federal Student Aid website allows borrowers to determine their eligibility and track their progress toward forgiveness. As of December 2025, the Department of Education reported forgiving over $62 billion in student loan debt through PSLF.Final Regulations (Federal Register, April 29, 2024).
Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) Forgiveness
Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plans cap monthly payments based on a borrower’s income and family size, and forgive the remaining balance after a set number of years of qualifying payments.
There are several IDR plans, including saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE), Income-Based Repayment (IBR), Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR), and Pay as You Earn (PAYE). The SAVE plan, introduced in August 2023, offers the most generous terms, with lower monthly payments and faster forgiveness for borrowers with low balances. The Department of Education is currently implementing adjustments to IDR plans to address historical issues with inaccurate payment counting.
As an illustration,a borrower with a $30,000 loan balance enrolled in the SAVE plan might have their loan forgiven after 20 years of qualifying payments,depending on their income and family size. The IDR Plan Comparison Tool on the Federal Student Aid website helps borrowers choose the plan that best suits their financial situation. The Department of Education announced in November 2025 that it had identified and begun correcting errors in IDR payment counts affecting over 30,000 borrowers. Department of Education Press Release (November 15, 2025).
Teacher Loan Forgiveness
The Teacher Loan Forgiveness program provides up to $17,500 in forgiveness to highly qualified teachers who teach full-time for five complete and consecutive academic years in a low-income school.
To qualify, teachers must teach in a designated low-income school, as determined by the Department of Education. The amount of forgiveness depends on the subject taught; teachers in certain high-need fields (e.g.,mathematics,science,special education) might potentially be eligible for up to $17,500 in forgiveness,while others may be eligible for up to $5,000.
For instance, a high school math teacher who teaches for five years at a title I school could recieve $17,500 in loan forgiveness. Detailed information about eligibility requirements and qualifying schools can be found on the Teacher Loan Forgiveness website. The Department of Education reported approving $1.7 billion in Teacher Loan Forgiveness as of September 2025. National Student Aid Data Center Report (September 2025).
Borrower Defence to Repayment
Borrower Defense to Repayment allows borrowers to seek forgiveness of their federal student loans if their school engaged in certain misconduct, such as making false or misleading statements about the educational program or employment prospects.
The program has been subject to legal challenges and regulatory changes. The Biden-Harris Administration has taken steps to streamline the application process and provide relief to borrowers who were defrauded by their schools.In June 2024, the Department of Education announced a group discharge of loans for borrowers who attended certain institutions identified as having engaged in widespread misconduct.
For example, borrowers who attended Corinthian Colleges, which was found to have misrepresented its job placement rates, were eligible for loan forgiveness through Borrower Defense to Repayment. The