Dario Amodei, CEO of Google and Amazon-backed AI startup Anthropic, a competitor of ChatGPT-parent OpenAI has expressed his concerns about the potential inequality that could arise from the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI). He believes a Universal Basic Income (UBI) might not address the issue.
What Happened: In an interview with Time Magazine that was published on Sunday, Amodei spoke about the impact of AI on wealth distribution. He acknowledged the potential of UBI but suggested that a more comprehensive solution is needed to ensure that everyone can contribute to the economy.
Amodei, who co-founded Anthropic in 2021, highlighted the need for a world where everyone can contribute, rather than relying on a few individuals to distribute wealth. He described Anthropic as a company focused on “public benefit.”
“I certainly think that’s better than nothing. But I would much prefer a world in which everyone can contribute. It would be kind of dystopian if there are these few people that can make trillions of dollars, and then the government hands it all out to the unwashed masses,” he stated, adding, “It’s better than not handing it out, but I think it’s not really the world we want to aim for.”
He went on to say that in the long run, society will need to consider how to organize the economy and how people perceive their lives. He said this is not a task for an individual or a single company, but rather a conversation for all humanity.
“And my only worry is, if the technology goes fast, we’ll have to figure it out fast,” he added.
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Why It Matters: The issue of AI-induced inequality and the potential solutions have been widely discussed in the tech industry. In November last year, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk predicted a “universal high income” as a potential solution to the obsolescence of traditional employment due to AI.
“It’s hard to say exactly what that moment is, but there will come a point where no job is needed,” he told U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at the time. “You can have a job if you want to have a job or sort of personal satisfaction, but the AI will be able to do everything.”
Previously, Geoffrey Hinton, the “Godfather of AI,” has also called for implementing a universal basic income to address potential inequality arising from AI-induced job losses.
“I was consulted by people in Downing Street and I advised them that universal basic income was a good idea,” he said in May 2024.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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