The Future of Careers, or lack there of...

I was watching a YouTube video discussing the careers that would be available in the future, or rather the lack of careers. The video discussed the possibility that most careers might be taken over by artificial intelligence (AI). It stated that we might need Universal Basic Income (UBI) in order to make money since the jobs would no longer be available to allow us to support ourselves. This prompted me to think about what the world would be like when we, today’s working class, were dependent on UBI to survive. I figured the best way to think about this scenario would be to write an article about it. This way, I could really think about the possible future that might be awaiting us.

In this predicted future, AI, robots, and automation have taken over all the repetitive tasks that were once the domain of humans. Cashiers, warehouse workers, sales, import and export, garbage disposal, farmers, human resources, and the like are now under the control of AI and robots. No longer are there entry level jobs like working at McDonalds or Target, because these jobs have been automated. Even entry level computer developer jobs are obsolete because large language models, like ChatGPT, can perform the work just as well as a junior developer.

The benefits of this potential reality would be that we would no longer would need to do work that we despise. No longer would we need to clean sewers or handle trash, because robots would take care of that for us. Need the house cleaned? A robot will handle it. Need the lawn mowed? A robot will handle it. Need to hang some art? A robot will handle it. We would no longer need to do things we didn’t want to do, assuming these robots were cheap enough for our UBI to pay for.

If UBI were our future, then I imagine there may emerge three socioeconomic classes. The wealthy, those who own corporations providing us with goods and services, the working class, those who can get a job and work for a living in addition to getting UBI, and those in poverty, who only subsist because of UBI, these cannot find any employment. The working class would be made up of those fortunate enough to earn not just a bachelor’s degree, but at least a master’s or PhD to qualify for jobs that haven’t been automated. These jobs might include roles such as scientists, mental health professionals, physical therapists, doctors, or advanced AI developers.

The wealthy class would not really change from today’s time. They will still get their money through investments, and from their corporations. Those in poverty, however, will be entirely dependent on UBI to support themselves. This group might become the largest socioeconomic class. With entry-level jobs gone, it would no longer be possible to work your way up without a strong education. Even the construction and maintenance of robots might be handled by other robots.

In order to get into a university, I predict it would cost more than the UBI will provide and thus be limited to only those who are already in the working class, or through scholarships, grants, and exorbitant student loans. Once in university, some professors may be robots, or AI-generated avatars teaching courses via a screen. Only the most prestigious universities would still have human professors, further widening the gap between rich and poor.

In this predicted future world, robots would be everywhere. Interestingly, social isolation might become a thing of the past, as we’d always have a “listening ear.” We might talk to robots around us and use those interactions to ease feelings of loneliness or depression. That could be one positive aspect of this predicted future.

But, ultimately, I don’t believe UBI will be a beneficial thing for the future of our society. It would mean a widening gap between the rich and poor, and a potential entrance into this scary future reality. But students of today have an advantage. They have not yet entered the workforce and have the opportunity to learn the skills they need now to ensure their job won’t become irrelevant in the future.

 Learn to code, particularly AI. Learn science to explore the complexities of the universe, or to enter the medical field as a doctor. Start a business that can, in the future, employ others ensuring you won’t be dependent on UBI. Start thinking now about the future and how to prepare for it. Even if the future is uncertain, it is inescapable so preparing for it is the wise thing to do.