One more thing to consider, and then I'll quit sh*t posting in this thread
"They took our jobs!"
What will we do when such a large portion of the employment economy has been taken by AI-equipped machines that most humans are simply unemployable? It has already begun, but will really make a splash when it happens with truckers. Fully autonomous long-haul cargo vehicles that are safer than human drivers will be available within the next few years. Once they're proven safer, cheaper, and more reliable than human drivers, how long will it be before ol' Smokie and the Bandit will need to find a new job? And how long will it be before the NEW job they train for is ALSO replaced by intelligent machines?
There are two main possible outcomes...
1. We continue "business as usual", leading to massive unemployment, a huge drain on our social programs, and a massive gulf between the few (rich) folks who either own the businesses or fill an AI-proof niche. We end up having to implement population control measures and create massive public housing "ghettos" that most workers will never be able to escape from with no upward mobility or opportunity. Society stagnates and eventually collapses under its own weight.
2. We implement a Universal Basic Income funded by "salaries" paid to machines by businesses. Basically, every company pays an hourly wage to its robots, comparable to what they would have to pay a human for the same work, which goes into a massive slush fund. From this, every citizen gets an equal share. Remember, since robots can run 24hrs/day, many robot "jobs" will pay the equivalent of three full time human jobs. By the time unemployment starts getting crazy high, the fund should be putting out a survival wage to every citizen. That would allow us all to continue our education, follow our dreams, etc without having to worry about how you'll eat. A career in music, the arts, or custom pedal building will actually be plausible! The benefit to companies is higher reliability, no social or discipline problems, no harrassment suits, and the ability to produce perfect quality work 24/7. Of course, this will eliminate the need for HR departments and employment lawyers...
I'm a strong proponent of option 2. Completely fair, because the benefit to every person is identical. Self-reinforcing, positive feedback loop as the more jobs that disappear, the greater the UBI will be.
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Muad'zin wrote:
I want Pterodactyl sounds dammit, not a nice little analog sustain.