By Futurist Thomas Frey
As AI anxiety grips the nation, Universal Basic Income has emerged as the proposed solution to mass unemployment. The logic seems sound: robots take jobs, people need money, government provides income. But I think we’re fundamentally misunderstanding how economies work.
The American Indian reservation system offers a cautionary tale. When basic needs are met without purpose-driven work, communities don’t flourish—they struggle with meaning, identity, and direction. Humans aren’t wired for idle consumption. We’re wired to create, build, and solve problems.
Here’s what the UBI advocates miss: humans are magnificently flawed creatures. We get tired, hungry, sick. We come in infinite varieties of size, ability, and preference. We learn slowly and forget constantly. We need shelter, clothing, entertainment, connection, meaning.
Every one of these “flaws” creates needs. And our entire global economy exists to fulfill human needs. As long as humans remain imperfect—which is to say, forever—there will be an inexhaustible demand for goods, services, solutions, and experiences.
Continue reading… “Why AI Won’t Destroy Jobs—It Will Multiply Them”
