How AI And Robot Job Displacements Could Lead Us Down The Rode Of Universal Basic Income And Loss Of Identity

For some, the ascendancy of artificial intelligence and robotics instills the fear that these sophisticated and emerging technologies will one day ultimately replace human workers.

In today’s evolving workplace landscape, AI and robotics are already automating tasks across almost all sectors, including manufacturing, data analysis, customer service and administration. As it stands, repetitive and routine tasks are the most susceptible to automation.

While AI and robotics will undoubtedly change the nature of work, it’s unlikely that these technologies will eradicate the existence of all jobs. The focus will likely shift toward human-AI collaboration and jobs requiring uniquely human skills. The future of work could involve a combination of paid employment, universal basic income and a renewed focus on finding meaning and fulfillment outside of traditional work structures.

The Future Of Work

Many jobs require creativity, critical thinking, social skills, problem-solving under pressure and the ability to handle unforeseen situations. Because these are areas where AI is still limited, it demonstrates the need for continued human skills in job functions.

However, many roles will likely change, requiring different skill sets to collaborate effectively with AI tools. The future of work will involve humans and AI working together, leveraging each other’s strengths. For example, accountants may use AI for data analysis, but the jobs will still require human judgment for complex decisions.

New positions will likely emerge in fields like AI development, robot maintenance and data security, as well as jobs focused on human interaction and emotional intelligence to help bridge the gap.

The Impact Of AI According To Elon Musk

Elon Musk, the cofounder and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, as well as the owner of X, formerly known as Twitter, believes the impact of AI will be more far-reaching and transformative. He views AI as “the most disruptive force in history.”

During an appearance at the Viva Technology conference in Paris in May, Musk stated that AI will eventually make workers obsolete—a prediction he doesn’t necessarily see as pernicious.

According to the tech entrepreneur, highly advanced AI capabilities will dispel the need for human labor, rendering traditional jobs unnecessary, in what he frames as a likely “benign scenario” for the future of work.

Employment would become optional and more like hobbies rather than necessities. Rather than holding a job to survive, Musk sees people working simply out of personal interest or creative satisfaction.

However, this raises the question of how humans would derive meaning in life, since people’s jobs provide a sense of purpose and identity for them, which could be lost.

Being rendered economically obsolete by AI could have significant mental health implications for portions of the population that obtain self-worth from their careers and productive output. Although, it could offer them the opportunity to pursue volunteer work, passion projects or start their own business.

For work to become optional, we would need to live in an “age of abundance” achieved by “universal high income,” Musk said.

Universal Basic Income

On the other hand, computer scientist Geoffrey Hinton paints a far darker picture. The so-called “Godfather of artificial intelligence” told BBC that universal basic income would need to be provided by the government to provide a safety net, if automation catalyzes widespread job displacement.

According to Hinton, the wealthy would profit from the benefits of AI and increased productivity, while the people who lose their jobs suffer, which he said would be “very bad for society.”

Similarly, former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang called for UBI to be paid to Americans to provide a living income. Yang’s thesis was that once tech takes over, millions of Americans would be outskilled and unable to hold a decent job.

While on a podcast with Yang in 2020, Block head and former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey said that—fairly soon—AI will write better code than his current software engineers. Dorsey forecasted that tech will eat the lunch of everyone and no one is safe.

The Importance Of Adaptability And The Meaning Of Work

One of the biggest criticisms of UBI is the extremely high cost of providing cash payments at a level sufficient enough to meaningfully impact poverty and inequality.

Regardless of the future, the ability to learn new skills and adapt to change will be crucial. Continuous learning and upskilling will be essential to stay relevant in the job market.