Artificial intelligence (AI) is undeniably here to stay, its unstoppable advance prompting concerns about its influence on our lives and its rapid improvement. A growing fear is that an uncertain job market future will see AI displace humans in numerous roles. If this scenario unfolds within a few years, as predicted by analysts, proactive measures are crucial to avert widespread disruption. While we haven’t reached that critical juncture yet, a Universal Basic Income (UBI) program has emerged, proposing that workers laid off due to AI receive $1,000 monthly to aid their survival.
While artificial intelligence is not flawless and still prone to errors more often than anticipated, its progress in just the last 2 to 3 years has been monumental. Should this trajectory continue, AI could become even more sophisticated within 5 to 10 years, potentially leading to the development of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) that would integrate deeply into society and manage aspects of life beyond our current comfort levels.
This isn’t the first time discussions have arisen about AI’s potential to dominate the world in the coming years; our increasing reliance on it suggests a future where it handles tasks autonomously and consciously, akin to a science fiction narrative. Prominent figures like the CEO of OpenAI, the head of NVIDIA, and Elon Musk have all mused about the eventual necessity of Universal Basic Income as AI increasingly takes over human labor.
The underlying theory is that individuals would receive an income when human work becomes obsolete due to AI’s capabilities. While this might sound utopian, the premise is that AI would keep businesses and economies robust, thus ensuring continued wealth generation. However, if such a program were eventually extended to all global citizens, the individual payouts would likely be modest.
This vision is now materializing: a UBI program initiated this week aims to provide $1,000 monthly to those who have lost their jobs due to AI. Crucially, this funding doesn’t appear magically; it is sourced from non-profit organizations actively seeking contributions from businesses and even governmental bodies to sustain the initiative.
Named “AI Dividend,” the program currently assists a small group, with 25 to 50 individuals expected to receive a year’s worth of payments. It launched with an initial budget of $300,000, with ambitions to expand to $3 million by 2026, contingent on contributions from AI companies. While AI hasn’t fully replaced human workers yet, its impact is increasingly evident, particularly in specific job sectors. Junior programmers, for instance, are facing significant challenges as generative AI tools capable of writing code and AI agents reduce available positions and intensify competition.
Furthermore, some junior developers have reported ‘humiliating’ job experiences where their main task wasn’t true programming but merely validating and correcting AI-generated code. In today’s global economy, with its varying currencies and living costs, $1,000 can be perceived as a modest sum (in countries like the United States) or a substantial amount (in developing nations). Since this program is operating in the U.S., the $1,000 monthly payment falls below the minimum wage in many areas.
