In HBO’s Silicon Valley (2014), a scene poked fun at “rest and vest” — tech workers collecting paychecks and stock while doing little actual work. Back then, during the “Web 2.0” boom, engineers at companies like Facebook, Apple, and Google enjoyed lavish perks: beanbag meetings, free sushi, office craft beer, and even free dry cleaning.
That era is largely gone. Today, the focus has shifted from building consumer apps to the more demanding “hard tech” of artificial intelligence. Buzzwords like neural networks, large language models, and H100 GPUs dominate conversations, and Instagram filters seem quaint next to A.I.’s image-generating power.
The industry’s center has moved from Silicon Valley’s suburbs to San Francisco, home to A.I. leaders like OpenAI and Anthropic. Hiring sprees have slowed, perks have shrunk, and managers now watch for productivity rather than indulge downtime.
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