Ex-OpenAI Researcher Predicts $10,000 Monthly UBI Feasible with AI Growth

Miles Brundage, a former senior policy advisor and head of the Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) Readiness team at OpenAI, has stated that a Universal Basic Income (UBI) of $10,000 per month will become "feasible" due to advancements in AI-enabled economic growth. Brundage, who resigned from OpenAI in 2024, believes current UBI experiments are insufficient to demonstrate the true potential impact of such a policy.

Brundage's departure from OpenAI stemmed from concerns about the company's direction and a desire for greater independence in his policy research. He had advised OpenAI executives and the board on AGI readiness for six years, leading initiatives such as external red teaming and system cards. His exit followed a series of high-profile departures from OpenAI's safety-focused teams, signaling a potential shift towards commercial applications.

The concept of a high-value UBI is directly linked by Brundage to the anticipated economic transformations brought about by AI. He articulated his perspective on social media, stating:

"In the near-term, I worry a lot about AI disrupting opportunities for people who desperately want work, but I think it's simultaneously true that humanity should eventually remove the obligation to work for a living and that doing so is one of the strongest arguments for building AI and AGI in the first first place."

This viewpoint aligns with a broader discussion among tech leaders, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who have explored UBI as a potential solution to widespread job displacement caused by automation. While current UBI pilot programs typically range from $500 to $1,500 monthly, Brundage suggests that a $10,000 monthly figure, while not feasible today, could be achievable "in a few years with AI-enabled growth."

The debate surrounding UBI in the age of AI centers on its economic sustainability and societal impact. Proponents argue it could mitigate job losses, reduce poverty, and improve overall well-being. However, critics raise concerns about funding mechanisms, potential inflation, and the incentive to work. Various funding models have been proposed, including a "robot tax" on companies benefiting from AI automation, to ensure that the economic gains from AI are broadly shared.