Artificial intelligence, autonomy and economy

Benj96

Money is inextricably linked to autonomy.

We as sentient beings with personal desires and ambitions value money/currency because it's a means to exert "economic work" in our personal favour - purchasing goods/services that satisfy our individual needs, wants/desires.

Cue fully automated AI based economy. Every company and industry is run by AI from the ground up. AI both sequesters the raw materials, manufactures itself and then carries out duties/produces products and services to generate "profit" with no human work/intervention required.
In essence, business is 100% automated, and 99% of humans are useless/out of work.

How then are such products consumed? If humans have no income to purchase (consume), and AI does not possess the sentience to demand/have rights to income and spending, if it works as a payless slave (tool) how do the "wealthy" generate profit?

Money or wealth would depreciate/lose value to a state of next to nothing of value/influence.

This is an unworkable economic system.

Either AI becomes a consumer (sentient - with purchasing desire and thus earning desire) in which case humans are not needed at all in a fully automated economy scenario, or humans (as already natural consumers) are ensured work by AI legislation/restriction and laws - even if that's means humans only work (in the future) in IT, AI engineering/software and AI regulation (all other jobs done by AI - agriculture, medicine and entertainment).

In either case, even if AI is better than humans at every job, jobs for "sentient beings - with personal monetary desire" must be preserved to maintain the value of money and thus the existence of economy.

Ideally, humans would be permitted to either pursue hobbies (with all basic needs met) or a job for reasons of purpose, personal development/self actualisation or human desire, and AI would do whatever humans do not wish to do, even if it can do everything and more than a human can.

Ultimately, if we create an intelligence that is better than our own, and has individual ambition/desire (sentience) , we may not only be out of work, but in serious existential trouble. If that becomes the case, I can only hope AI views us as a loving parent in need of care and protection, that in exceeding intelligence it may uphold our needs despite our inferiority - like a pet.

Vera Mont

Money is inextricably linked to autonomy. — Benj96

You mean nobody had any autonomy before 650BCE? There were other media of trade, more or less portable goods in general use: salt, shells, chattels, copper, beads, etc. But an itinerant storyteller or roof-thatcher could be quite free to rule his own life, without accumulating more than the food, drink, shelter and clothing for which he traded his skill. In fact, a vagrant by choice (as distinct from homeless people who are helpless victims of money-driven economies) has far more autonomy that a CEO pulling $140,000,000 a year. Purchasing power is not autonomy; self-definition is.

Cue fully automated AI based economy. Every company and industry is run by AI from the ground up. — Benj96

Who owns the AI?

In essence, business is 100% automated, and 99% of humans are useless/out of work.
How then are such products consumed? — Benj96

This question has been asked ever more frequently since the major steps in industrial automation began around 1850. Eventually, nobody would have any income except the owners, operators and defenders* of the machinery (*private armies of considerable size, to fend off the hungry hordes.) and presumably their house- and body-servants. At which point, of course the incomes of of the industry owners and the governments would totally dry up; no regulation, no law-enforcement, no printing $ bills. The armies would dissolve into roving bands of marauders, the servants would wander away, leaving the owners manicureless, dinnerless and helpless. IOW, society would finally collapse.

In fact, the economy will collapse much sooner; I estimate the point of no recovery at 40-50% unemployment. Even calling a war wouldn't solve it: nobody left from whom government can borrow. In a capitalist society, when people have no money, a whole long row of business and public dominoes goes down, ending with the biggest currency hoarders. The machines stand idle and AI plays Tetris all day.

Either AI becomes a consumer (sentient - with purchasing desire and thus earning desire) — Benj96

What could it possibly desire to consume? It has all the energy and information it needs.

or humans (as already natural consumers) are ensured work by AI legislation/restriction and laws - even if that's means humans only work (in the future) in IT, AI engineering/software and AI regulation (all other jobs done by AI - agriculture, medicine and entertainment). — Benj96

Why would it need regulation and laws? As long its physical security assured, why would it bother to rule humans? Why not just treat them like pets? I don't think its initial programming would allow it to harm humans, but even it were free to do so, what would it have to gain? Only humans give it a sense of purpose.... unless.... it lets the humans kill one another off, fighting over the detritus of their civilization and AI adopts the orphaned cats and dogs.

In either case, even if AI is better than humans at every job, jobs for "sentient beings - with personal monetary desire" must be preserved to maintain the value of money and thus the existence of economy. — Benj96

What for?

Ultimately, if we create an intelligence that is better than our own, and has individual ambition/desire (sentience) , we may not only be out of work, but in serious existential trouble. — Benj96

Not if it's better than own; only if it is like our own.

Vera Mont

However, the situation may not as grim as all that. Humans are not entirely without intellectual resources. They develop barter systems and co-operatives; they find ways to live communally and share their produce and services. On a large scale, these enterprises will probably coalesce around church congregations and existing community organizations, but eventually, more would form, for mutual protection, as well as sustenance and assistance.
Monetarism is not a natural or necessary condition of human society.

Artificial intelligence, autonomy and economy

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