OpenAI CEO Sam Altman advocates for “Universal Computational Competence” to enable AI-driven transformation towards Universal Basic Income.

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape the labor market, Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, has proposed a new concept of universal basic income (UBI). This innovative approach, called “universal basic compute,” has the potential to redefine economic security in the digital age.

Table of Contents:
Toggle
A Technological New Perspective on Basic Income
Universal Basic Compute: Everyone Has a Share of GPT
Why Does Sam Altman Support UBI?
Past UBI Experiment Results
Universal Basic Compute Still an Early Concept

Traditionally, universal basic income (UBI) has been seen as a solution to combat the threats of automation and AI, which replace a significant amount of human labor. It involves providing unconditional cash payments to adults regardless of their economic situation. Sam Altman, a long-time supporter of UBI, believes that integrating technology into this concept could bring even greater benefits.

In a recent episode of the All-In Podcast, Sam Altman introduced the concept of “universal basic compute.” This idea involves allowing individuals to access a portion of the computing power of advanced AI systems such as GPT-7. “Everyone can have a small part of GPT-7’s computing power,” explained Sam Altman. He envisioned people being able to directly use this resource, sell it, or donate it for purposes like cancer research, potentially creating a digitally valuable asset that is more valuable than traditional currency. “You own a portion of productivity,” he pointed out, highlighting the potential of this model to empower individuals economically.

Advertisement – Continue scrolling for more content
[Image]
[Image]
[Image]
[Image]

Sam Altman’s support for UBI is not a new development. As AI threatens jobs, safety nets like UBI could become crucial. In 2016, he initiated his own UBI experiment, which involved paying over 3,000 participants between $50 and $1,000 per month. The results of this experiment are expected to be published soon.

Various cities and states in the United States have tested similar concepts called guaranteed basic income, where the focus is on individuals based on their needs or social status. While many of these experiments have shown positive results, they have also faced increasing scrutiny and opposition from conservatives who believe that such welfare programs could discourage people from working. For example, a recent initiative in Texas was halted by the state’s Supreme Court, blocking the distribution of $500 per month to low-income residents in the Houston area.

Sam Altman’s concept of “universal basic compute” has sparked interest and debate among different political factions, although the details of its implementation are not fully developed. This has generated curiosity and controversy regarding future economic support systems in an increasingly automated world.

AI
Universal Basic Income
Universal Basic Compute
[Image]
[Image]

Further Reading:
Vitalik: GPT-4 Has Already Passed the Turing Test, Best to Keep That in Mind
Google I/O 2024 Unveiled: Majority AI Technology, Gemini AI Also Features ChatGPT 4o Functionality