Elon Musk favours Universal Basic Income to protect humanity from coming robot revolution
Tesla founder Elon Musk has come out in favour of a universal basic income for all as the best solution for tackling inequality in a world where jobs are increasingly performed by robots and AI software.
This concept would involve governments allocating resources generated by automated workforces to unemployed humans, allowing them to survive in a world in which their labour is no longer required. Rather than employ bureaucratic processes of means testing, however, every citizen, no matter how rich or poor, would receive the same monthly stipend to use as they pleased.
Speaking to CNBC Musk said: “There is a pretty good chance we end up with a universal basic income, or something like that, due to automation. Yeah, I am not sure what else one would do. I think that is what would happen."
Some politicians are already warming to the idea with Labour's shadow chancellor John McDonnell reportedly amenable to making a 2020 manifesto pledge to introduce just such a scheme in Britain.
AI is increasingly coming into play in an ever-broadening range of fields and disciplines from warehousing and logistics roles to magazine editors and Jeopardy champs and hospital consultants.