The rise of artificial intelligence certainly comes with it’s fair share of fears. Luckily, the potential upside of a workless future and utopia isn’t completely out of the question. Below I’d like to explore a fun possible reality that could result from further artificial intelligence innovation.
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The Workless Future – A world with nothing required
The core assumption in this future is that AI can and will take over a majority of the necessary work. There won’t be enough demand to employ most folks and therefore, our economy changes. If we try to maintain the semblance of economy we have now, work would need to look dramatically different. Here’s how that may go…
Human desires will not fade, so companies remain
Regardless of the availability of work, people will still want non-necessities. Companies will continue to fill those needs and be able to do so with a vastly reduced wage expense. With the existence of thriving/competing companies and folks unable to work but needing money, things get exciting.
Imagine all of one’s income being derived from their stock portfolio. The profits and dividends from those AI run companies determine the discretionary income of each individual. A good month where your reality TV producing bot doubles its viewership could mean steak dinners every night! On the other hand, your AI dishwashing company that dropped 50% due to explosive growth of a new, entirely sustainable disposable dishware solution could mean you are on the canned spam for the month.
Life would revolve around brand trust and loyalty, innovation, and rapid expansion at rates humans would never have been able to achieve.
I believe this scenario would still lead to a lower, middle, and higher social class system. The lower would likely benefit from free housing and food, improving the minimal acceptable conditions world wide. The upper-class would continue to thrive on luxuries currently unimaginable, and the middle class will continue to joust for their shot to move up in the world. Some things never change.
The few between
Early on I mentioned that this is a workless future – and I mean that… mostly. I do believe there will be folks in charge of tweaking algorithms, coming up with new ideas and kicking them off, monitoring AI dependence, and providing philanthropy for humanitarian needs that most systems would likely ignore. There will always be the dreamer with a new and fantastic idea that successfully implements it, achieves their dream, and becomes a role model for many. But for most, life will likely involve finding new and enjoyable ways to pass time and feel meaningful. I have ideas on how that may come to be… I’ll share that in the future. If you’d like to see it, check out this list of posts with similar ideas.
Remember, I don’t necessarily believe this is a likely outcome. It is simply a fun idea for your brain to chew on. Please reach out if you have ideas of your own!
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