DeepSeek Founder Liang Wenfeng Says No KPIs, No Overtime Built His $60 Billion AI Lab

DeepSeek Founder Reveals Unconventional Management Philosophy

Liang Wenfeng, founder of DeepSeek, disclosed in a nearly four-hour internal discussion that his $60 billion Chinese AI startup operates without KPIs and no overtime requirements. "No one manages them," Liang said of his researchers, according to a transcript obtained by Tencent Technology1

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. The founder's management philosophy stands in sharp contrast to the 996 work culture that Western tech investors are now promoting as essential for competing in the AI race.

The Hangzhou-based AI lab has achieved remarkable growth since launching publicly in January 2025, accumulating 173 million downloads and reaching a $60 billion valuation in a June funding round1

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. Liang himself has become the wealthiest AI model creator globally, with Bloomberg estimating his fortune at roughly $36 billion, surpassing Anthropic co-founder Dario Amodei and former OpenAI president Greg Brockman1

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Creating a Relaxed Research Environment Through Minimal Oversight

Liang explained two core reasons for DeepSeek's approach during the internal discussion. "Research needs a relaxed environment; if you push too hard, you can't do research," he stated. The second principle centers on extreme focus, meaning the company tackles very few initiatives simultaneously1

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The organizational structure at DeepSeek reflects this philosophy. Employees receive direction for only half their working day, with the remainder being unstructured time they can allocate as they choose. "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," Liang revealed2

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. The company operates without formal hierarchy, written rulebooks, or monthly targets. "We don't really have an organization, we're driven by a vision, organized by a vision," Liang explained, adding that this shared vision isn't even documented1

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Silicon Valley Embraces 996 Work Culture as DeepSeek Rejects It

The timing of these revelations intensifies the debate over work culture in AI industry labor practices. While China's 996 work culture—working 9am to 9pm six days a week—was declared illegal by the Supreme People's Court in 2021, it has paradoxically become a badge of honor among Western tech investors1

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. Harry Stebbings of 20VC wrote on LinkedIn that "seven days a week is the required velocity to win right now"1

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Martin Mignot of Index Ventures reinforced this sentiment, declaring "forget nine to five, 996 is the new startup standard"1

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. Some AI startups have reportedly begun incorporating 996 clauses into employment contracts, essentially requiring new hires to commit to 72-hour weeks2

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Post-Event Analysis and Future Implications for AI Labs

Liang's leaked remarks from this internal discussion have previously caused complications for DeepSeek. The company paused its second fundraising round in late July after separate comments about China's dependence on Nvidia chips went viral on Weibo without his permission1

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. This latest transcript paints a picture of a founder who views exhaustion-driven output as wasteful rather than heroic.

Whether this unconventional culture can survive DeepSeek's evolution from research lab to public company remains uncertain. Liang acknowledged this challenge, expressing hope that the relaxed culture would endure while noting the company is run by "a bunch of very ordinary people"1

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. The results speak for themselves: a three-year-old startup valued at $60 billion, built by a team whose founder insists nobody works late1

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. As Silicon Valley continues pushing extreme work schedules, DeepSeek's success with minimal oversight may force a reassessment of what truly drives innovation in AI development.