Скачать или смотреть "Universal Basic Income" and AI: cushioning the fall or cutting the safety rope?

Article link: https://open.substack.com/pub/johanos...

The article challenges the idea that universal basic income (UBI) is the obvious answer to AI-driven job losses. While acknowledging that predictable income can reduce poverty and cushion shocks, it argues that humans are wired for purpose, structure and contribution, and that mass, long-term income with no expectation of work risks deep psychological and social damage. A future in which large numbers of people live indefinitely on AI-funded stipends may look humane on paper, but in reality it could fuel anxiety, addiction, anger and unrest. At the same time, the practicalities are daunting: in countries with small formal tax bases and high inequality, like South Africa, the arithmetic of a generous, universal payment is extremely difficult, especially if we rely on optimistic narratives about “robot taxes” or effortless AI-driven growth.

Instead of treating “UBI because AI” as the centrepiece of our response, the article calls for a broader and more honest social contract. That means keeping meaningful work at the heart of policy, investing in sectors where human presence is irreplaceable (care, education, community, environment), and using a mix of tools: more modest income guarantees, fairer taxation, active labour market policies and shared ownership of key assets. Cash support has a role, but it should be paired with opportunities to learn, create and contribute, rather than normalising permanent idleness. The core message is that money matters, but meaning matters more – and a humane AI future must protect people from destitution without cutting the rope that links income, effort and belonging.