Thread

1. gortok · 1790713858 · focus · HN ↗

   To avoid this becoming a “tail wags the dog” scenario, folks who have money would need to spend it. We told people for 20 years to “learn to code”. Technology is, outside of healthcare, the leading profession for upward economic mobility.

   What happens when the adoption of AI destroys the middle 60% of the bell curve of programmers and technologists? How will the middle class of people spend money on products/services if they don’t have a job?

   We can’t both create wealth and destroy jobs with nothing to replace them.

   America has little to no manufacturing base.

   Technology and finance has been its differentiator economically speaking for job creation. Both are at risk from AI adoption. Businesses have to sell to someone, and at the moment it’s not clear — if the stated goals of revenue are to be believed, how that can happen.

   1. noosphr · 1790714711 · focus · HN ↗

      Same thing that happened to blue collar work witch used to be the path to the middle class before the 1990s. The economy managed to create plenty of wealth without doing anything for 40% of the population.

      1. eli_gottlieb · 1790717127 · focus · HN ↗

         Ok and then what did that 40% of the population do in 2016?

         1. pessimizer · 1790722389 · focus · HN ↗

            Run up enormous credit card bills and take out tons of student loans. Moved in with their parents, or moved in with their children. Considered fentanyl.
         2. noosphr · 1790725055 · focus · HN ↗

            The question is what was done to them in 2008 and 2010. You'd best read the history because it will happen to you soon enough.

            1. eli_gottlieb · 1790734177 · focus · HN ↗

               I'm quite clear on that, thanks.

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