No overtime, no managers! Here's how DeepSeek is defying China's 996 work culture and still thriving

Published 2 August 2026 · tech

DeepSeek, China's AI startup that rose to become a $60 billion ChatGPT rival in just three years, isn't a typical Chinese corporation that pushes its

DeepSeek, China's AI startup that rose to become a $60 billion ChatGPT rival in just three years, isn't a typical Chinese corporation that pushes its employees to work 12 hours, 6 days a week. Rather, according to its founder, Liang Wenfeng, the new-age tech giant achieved it all without late-night shifts, managers, or a single KPI. In a conversation with Tencent Technology, Liang said his team generally doesn’t work overtime. Liang, the world’s richest AI founder, shared that there are two main reasons for his laid-back approach: “First, research needs a relaxed environment; if you push too hard, you can’t do research.

Second, we’re very focused, which means we do very few things.” DeepSeek offers its employees more than just the relaxed working hours — according to the Tencent Technology chat, the AI startup has no rigid hierarchy, no rulebook, and no strict written end goal. So much so that it is up to the team to decide how they want to manage half of their working days. “We don’t really have an organisation—we’re driven by a vision, organised by a vision,” Liang said. “That vision isn’t even written down. We’ve never written anything.” Liang told Tencent Technology that DeepSeek employees don't have monthly targets to hit, and said that he’s led by their consensus.

“No one manages them. No KPIs,” he said. The techie, worth $37.9 billion, said his employees are told what to do for only half of their workday. “We hope ‘formal work’ doesn’t take more than half of an employee’s time. The other half is unallocated. They can do whatever they want.” Also Read | Alibaba says new AI model is just second to Anthropic’s Fable 5 China’s gruelling 996 culture The strikingly easygoing setup at DeepSeek contrasts with China's tough work culture, especially amid the country's AI ambitions. China wears its gruelling 996 culture — working 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. six days a week — as a badge of honour in tech; and DeepSeek is the exception.

While the 996 work schedule was outlawed in 2021, Chinese tech founders often wear it as a badge of honour. Chinese tech giants like Alibaba, social media titan Tencent, and Alibaba rival JD.com all leaned on 996 and have often credited this system for their rise. In 2019, Alibaba founder Jack Ma went so far as to call it a “great blessing”, framing the grind as a necessary ingredient in the company’s rise.