The AI Anxiety Realization
TLDR: I moved from deep anxiety about AI replacing software engineers to a place of optimism. While I initially tried to "outrun" the transition by building wealth, I realized that if AI automates all intellectual work, Universal Basic Income (UBI) becomes a mathematical and social necessity to avoid collapse. Now, I see the future as a bright era where basic needs are met and labor is no longer a requirement for a decent life.
AI speed makes me anxious
Lately, I’ve been feeling some anxiety about my future, and it's coming mainly from the rapid progress in AI. Agents for building software are far from perfect, but they’ve gotten so good, so quickly.
I’m a software engineer in the AI and data industry, so I’m taking advantage of this transition by integrating agents into various industries. However, I see a future where these agents become as good as me, or better. What do I do with my life then? I’ve always taken pride in being good at building things. If building, or even deciding what to build, is something these agents can do better than me at somepoint, where does that leave me?
Beyond just me, what kind of world are we going to inhabit? Are all white-collar workers going to lose their jobs? I’m not just talking about engineers, but lawyers, business people, product managers, and analysts. Is everyone going to be replaced by full automation? It feels scary. If software engineering is just the first step, it's deeply worrying. So many talented people could end up without work. How is society going to adapt?
My initial (but incomplete) hedging strategy
That anxiety was lurking in the back of my head, and I wasn't handling it properly. My initial idea was to be "smart" about the situation: while the transition is happening, make as much money as humanly possible and build entrepreneurial skills in parallel. The plan was that by the time the "singularity" hits, I’d have the wealth and business acumen to leverage AI and build companies using it.
But that approach is risky. What if I don't succeed? What if I’m unable to build that foundation or accumulate enough wealth to be free by then? What if this happens in the next two or three years?
The big realization: UBI
Then, I realized something. If we reach a level where we can automate all intellectual work (engineers, office workers, academics) and the owners of these businesses accumulate billions, that wealth becomes incredible. It becomes an insane amount of money that must be shared with the public. There is no other way around it. You cannot have a world where only a few accumulate all the wealth; if that happened, the wealth would lose its value and society would lose its stability.
If people have no means of living a decent life, it leads to civil war. To avoid that instability, I believe something like Universal Basic Income (UBI) becomes a necessity. Even the people who own the means of production (the data centers and the machinery) will need the social stability.
This realization made me feel so much better. I feel a sense of safety. I don't own the means of production or massive wealth yet, which is stressful when you think the world is shifting. But when I look at it through the lens of a necessary social transition, I feel safe. I am someone who has an appetite for risk-taking and I still felt that risk, so I can only imagine how it feels for people who have no appetite for it. Yes, we will have the challenge of how to fill our time, though to be honest, I think I’ll do just fine.
Optimistic about the future
I believe the future is bright for us humans with AI. My strategy is to keep adapting to this revolution and keep pushing it forward. It’s a very fun experience to be part of, and I've stopped worrying about my industry disappearing. If we reach that point of singularity, UBI is the only way to handle it. It will mean everyone could have leisure without the necessity of labor. People will be fed and housed; they might wonder about their purpose, but at least it’s better than mass unemployment.
To me, this is a positive outcome. We aren't talking about AI taking over or being used by dangerous regimes; we're talking about a sphere where people's needs are met and prosperity is boosted to the max. This is the best-case scenario.