It’s not immigrants you should be worried about. AI and robots will replace you a lot sooner than you think. It's not science fiction. It's already happening now.
I don't know about that. Like the article said, if people don't have money, then your ai is working for nobody since no one is buying your product or paying for your service. I'm more worried that the ultra rich try and give us just enough to survive and buy a few luxuries here and there without much room for improvement.
Suspect what is inevitable is mass poverty and violence in former middle class societies.
UBI would be a constructive and foresightful intervention to the coming crisis, but no oligarchy relinquishes power voluntarily- and guess who will own and direct the AI bots during the coming conflict?
If we ever hope to depose the wealthy autocracy, the time is ripe.
Yeah not seeing why billionaires will voluntarily part with their cash. It will have to be pried from them as it was in FDR's time. But we have no modern FDR or enough intelligent voters to make it happen
Unfortunately, my reading of the situation’s a bit more pessimistic. I used to think “How will they maintain mass consumption if the masses are impoverished? GOTCHA, capitalism!” And then, I noticed that when housing got built, it tended to be luxury condos. There may be a housing shortage, but there’s never a shortage of luxury items. So I’m starting to think the plan is simply to leave anyone below a certain pay grade out of the economy. Maybe the plutocracy skims off the very best of the huge pool of desperates to clean their golden toilets, but they won’t bother catering to anyone who isn’t well off enough to afford premium prices for everything. P.S. AI already plowed over my profession—translation. None of my colleagues in the field have gotten an assignment in months. I’m noticing a distinct lack of help from any government or corporation, no talk of compensation or UBI or even a class-action lawsuit against the companies training their robot armies on our work. I’m 59 and have already worked for 45 years. What now, pick another goddamn profession that AI will gobble up in a few years? “Work hard and get ahead,” sure thing.
Economic oligopoly is the current global model, with the 200 largest global corporations producing 80% of all worldwide GDP. The other 99.9% of people working outside these huge oligopolistic corporations (i.e. in the dying laissez-faire capital economy), you and 99.9% of the rest of the world population chasing that tiny 20% of world GDP.
If your work isn’t in the supply chain or distribution chain of one of these large titans, you are screwed. Think Saudi AramCo, Exxon, Apple, NVidea and Google.
Oh. And just when you thought oligarchs and AI were going to leave you powerless economically, just watch what Quantum Computing is going to do. The countries with Quantum Supremacy will absolutely control the world economy.
Absolutely great article! I've been saying this for decades. Current AI is weak, but new tech is coming soon to complete the revolution. A Guaranteed Annual Income is a necessity if capitalism is to continue. Well done!
Yes, robots don't go on vacation nor do they ask for raises. They also don't spend money. And there's no guarantee that we will get UBI.
Yep. That's why UBI ain't happening.
I don't know about that. Like the article said, if people don't have money, then your ai is working for nobody since no one is buying your product or paying for your service. I'm more worried that the ultra rich try and give us just enough to survive and buy a few luxuries here and there without much room for improvement.
Isn't that what's happening already?
There will be no universal basic income. There will be massive poverty. Enjoy your Armageddon, tech bros. Oh, and good luck with that nurse shortage.
Suspect what is inevitable is mass poverty and violence in former middle class societies.
UBI would be a constructive and foresightful intervention to the coming crisis, but no oligarchy relinquishes power voluntarily- and guess who will own and direct the AI bots during the coming conflict?
If we ever hope to depose the wealthy autocracy, the time is ripe.
Yeah not seeing why billionaires will voluntarily part with their cash. It will have to be pried from them as it was in FDR's time. But we have no modern FDR or enough intelligent voters to make it happen
Capitalism will eat itself. If everyone is unemployed except the investor class, who will buy all the consumer shit?
Exactly. People without money can't be consumers. So in order for mass-consumption to continue, UBI will be inevitable.
Unfortunately, my reading of the situation’s a bit more pessimistic. I used to think “How will they maintain mass consumption if the masses are impoverished? GOTCHA, capitalism!” And then, I noticed that when housing got built, it tended to be luxury condos. There may be a housing shortage, but there’s never a shortage of luxury items. So I’m starting to think the plan is simply to leave anyone below a certain pay grade out of the economy. Maybe the plutocracy skims off the very best of the huge pool of desperates to clean their golden toilets, but they won’t bother catering to anyone who isn’t well off enough to afford premium prices for everything. P.S. AI already plowed over my profession—translation. None of my colleagues in the field have gotten an assignment in months. I’m noticing a distinct lack of help from any government or corporation, no talk of compensation or UBI or even a class-action lawsuit against the companies training their robot armies on our work. I’m 59 and have already worked for 45 years. What now, pick another goddamn profession that AI will gobble up in a few years? “Work hard and get ahead,” sure thing.
Bit optimistic, call me when the Robespierre AI is here, and his friend the auto-guillotine arrives.
We already live in a post-capitalist society.
Economic oligopoly is the current global model, with the 200 largest global corporations producing 80% of all worldwide GDP. The other 99.9% of people working outside these huge oligopolistic corporations (i.e. in the dying laissez-faire capital economy), you and 99.9% of the rest of the world population chasing that tiny 20% of world GDP.
If your work isn’t in the supply chain or distribution chain of one of these large titans, you are screwed. Think Saudi AramCo, Exxon, Apple, NVidea and Google.
Oh. And just when you thought oligarchs and AI were going to leave you powerless economically, just watch what Quantum Computing is going to do. The countries with Quantum Supremacy will absolutely control the world economy.
Lassiez Faire Capitalism is already dead.
Oligopoly + AI + Quantum Computing is the winner.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oligopoly
Have I lived 74 years to see us be replaced by robots? This is not good!
And the Republicans are forcing women to have lots of babies. They’re stupid asses who think they’ve solved a problem for the oligarchic masters.
It will wind up like the movie Elysium or Terminator(x)
AI is already revolutionizing the visual arts…software like Midjourney can “create” images that are virtually indistinguishable from camera-made…
People can distinguish them just fine once the hype wears off. Uncanny valley just got a facelift.
Absolutely great article! I've been saying this for decades. Current AI is weak, but new tech is coming soon to complete the revolution. A Guaranteed Annual Income is a necessity if capitalism is to continue. Well done!
Why on earth would anyone want a continuation of the exponentially increasing wealth divide?
Humanity is already not the consumer-beneficiary. We are the substrate from which AI is made.
Yes, the wealthy need to provide the funds for the Annual Income. You are right - this can't continue.
“Sutton’s Law” 😏
But the problem is that banks don’t give away anything unless you commit to and can prove that you can and will pay them back with usury.
UGI is desirable and consistent with being a Christian nation, or a fair one, but inconsistent with capitalism.
Or, in brief, “them as has, gets”, will prevail with AI rise, in spades.
I hear you, and as you say, this will not be capitalism as we currently know it. This will be another revolution.
Thanks Barry! I'm glad you like it!
Yeh, and we ain’t seen nut’n yet!
Good one I enjoyed that very much!
I guess we’ll get to sleep longer and the state will pay us for that!
Good grief!
Thanks Roadwarrior! I'm glad you liked it!
That's a fantasy.
HAL9000 is coming. Too bad Commander Data isn’t.
My friend from way back, Doug Lain, wrote a book about The Singularity. You may enjoy reading it.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34144713-bash-bash-revolution