Viewpoint: Artificial Intelligence and Labour

TL;DR

This paper argues that fears of AI causing widespread unemployment are unfounded, and instead, the real issue will be the normalization of excessively long working hours in modern societies.

Contribution

It challenges common fears about AI-induced unemployment and highlights the potential societal problem of prolonged working hours.

Findings

Fears of technological unemployment are likely irrational.

Historical trends suggest employment will not decline significantly.

Long working hours may become the main societal issue.

Abstract

The welfare of modern societies has been intrinsically linked to wage labour. With some exceptions, the modern human has to sell her labour-power to be able reproduce biologically and socially. Thus, a lingering fear of technological unemployment features predominately as a theme among Artificial Intelligence researchers. In this short paper we show that, if past trends are anything to go by, this fear is irrational. On the contrary, we argue that the main problem humanity will be facing is the normalisation of extremely long working hours.