Peter H. Diamandis, MD, a prominent futurist and founder of the XPRIZE Foundation, recently highlighted a concept by Emad Mostaque, former CEO of Stability AI, suggesting that "UBAI > UBI." The tweet, posted on July 26, 2025, points to "Universal Basic Artificial Intelligence" (UBAI) as a potentially more impactful societal framework than Universal Basic Income (UBI). This concept posits that providing individuals with access to basic AI tools could enable them to generate value and participate in an evolving economy.
Emad Mostaque, known for his work in open-source generative AI with Stability AI, has been advocating for a decentralized approach to artificial intelligence. Following his departure from Stability AI, Mostaque has focused on developing what he terms the "Intelligent Internet," a three-tier open-source AI infrastructure. This initiative aims to make beneficial AI universally accessible, particularly in sectors such as healthcare and education, thereby empowering human agency.
The core of Mostaque's UBAI vision is the idea that everyone could possess a personal AI capable of performing beneficial tasks and generating economic value. This model suggests a shift from traditional employment-for-income paradigms to one where individuals find fulfillment through AI-augmented contributions. When integrated with decentralized cryptocurrency systems, this framework could facilitate a more equitable distribution of wealth, allowing individuals to earn based on the output of their personal AI, regardless of their geographical location.
Diamandis has engaged extensively with Mostaque's ideas, discussing them on his "Moonshots" podcast and in various publications. He views the emergence of AI, and specifically concepts like UBAI, as a monumental shift that will fundamentally alter economic and social structures. Diamandis has explored Mostaque's concept of an "AI Atlantis," a vast digital realm populated by AI agents, and the potential for AI to meet basic human needs, leading to a turbulent but transformative transition within the next 1-5 years.
The comparison of UBAI to UBI underscores a philosophical difference: instead of direct financial aid, UBAI proposes equipping individuals with tools to create their own value. This approach aligns with Mostaque's broader philosophy of "AI by the people, for the people," aiming to democratize access to advanced technology. The vision is to automate mundane tasks, freeing human creativity and fostering new job roles and mediums in an AI-driven world.