Work will not go away because of the introduction of artificial intelligence. But without new ways to fairly distribute paid and unpaid work, AI and other new technologies could create a very divided world.

VIENNA – The spread of artificial intelligence (AI) in the economy has raised the possibility – and for many, the fear – that machines will eventually replace human labor. They will not only perform an ever-increasing part of mechanical operations, as we have observed since the first industrial revolution, but will also coordinate the work by establishing direct communication between machines (the so-called Internet of Things). .

Some applaud these breakthroughs for fulfilling the long-standing human dream of liberation from work, while others blame them for depriving people of fulfillment through work and severing the link with income and employment-related social benefits. According to the latter scenario, more and more jobs will disappear, leading to mass unemployment, although the demand for specialists in process and product design will increase. Studies on the likely effects of AI and increased automation on the labor market are of course highly speculative, but the possible consequences of new technologies for employment should not be underestimated.

Many observers, fearing the worst, have advocated a basic income without unconditional work to stave off predictable impoverishment. But, before economists and policymakers begin to calculate the costs and benefits of a general basic income, we would do well to question the very premise of a future without work.