Former OpenAI researcher Miles Brundage has suggested that $10,000 monthly universal basic income (UBI) payments could become a reality with the continued growth of artificial intelligence (AI).
What Happened: Brundage, who until 2024 served as OpenAI’s senior policy advisor and head of the AGI readiness team, is of the opinion that the economic impact of AI could pave the way for such substantial UBI payments.
Current UBI trials have generally provided cash payments ranging from $500 to $1,500 per month. However, Brundage is encouraging policymakers to envision a larger scale.
“I think that a significantly more generous UBI experiment than has been tried so far (say, $10k/month vs. $1k/month) would show big effects,” he wrote in a post on X.
He further wrote, “$1k/month is relevant to what’s feasible policy-wise today. $10k/month is relevant to what will be feasible policy-wise in a few years with AI-enabled growth.”
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These remarks from Brundage are particularly timely, as advancements in AI are posing a threat to certain entry-level positions.
Numerous AI industry leaders, Elon Musk included, have expressed support for basic income programs. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman played a significant role in funding one of the largest basic income studies, which provided participants with a monthly sum of $1,000 over a three-year period.
Brundage also voiced his worries about the potential of AI to disrupt opportunities for individuals who are in desperate need of work.
“In the near-term, I worry a lot about AI disrupting opportunities for people who desperately want work, but I think it’s simultaneously true that humanity should eventually remove the obligation to work for a living and that doing so is one of the strongest arguments for building AI and AGI in the first place,” he further added in his post.
Why It Matters: The potential of AI to reshape the economy and job market is a topic of ongoing debate. As AI continues to evolve, it is crucial for policymakers to consider the implications and potential benefits of UBI programs.
Brundage’s comments highlight the need for forward-thinking approaches to UBI, particularly in light of AI’s potential to disrupt traditional work structures.
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