"Is automation a solution which creates a labor-free utopia, or would it create a near-infinite gap between the rich owners and the people who can no longer find work?" @stonemasoner
In my opinion, this question is much more complex than utopia or dystopia. First of all, I believe that advancements in technology are generally good for most people, otherwise, there would not be a market for advancing technology. While many jobs may be replaced, there is just as much of a possibility for an AI boom to create new jobs. In addition, I do not believe that rich people want to drive the working class into extreme poverty. The lower and middle class are the people that purchase products and services that rich people offer to the public, so there would be no point to have an extremely poor population that cannot afford to purchase the products and services that AI would help produce because that would be bad for everyone. There seems to be a belief that the rich want to push the working class into extreme poverty, but that seems ridiculous to me because the more money the middle class has, the more products and services they can purchase that benefits everyone.
With this in mind, workers will still have to be adaptable and open-minded to remain competitive. Some jobs will easily be replaced and some will be very difficult to replace. In addition, if a growing number of the population has a serious problem with AI, they could start their own company that only uses human labor or support companies that choose not to use AI. Consumers have so much power in the way that they spend their money, so if AI ends up being bad for people, consumers can choose to put their money elsewhere which would let businesses know what they want. Overall, I do not think AI is gonna turn our world into a utopia or dystopia, but it will change and workers will have to adapt to new jobs to be successful.
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This is an interesting perspective that I had not thought about. Well done!
Dr. Richards' talked about the recent rise in demand for 'bespoke' products, and the fact that the demand for those products is, in many respects, fueled by the extra disposable income many people have due to other products that are mass produced (and thus cheaper).
As such, we may very well see consumer demand for a new category of "human labor" goods (i.e. goods produced by human hands, even if they are not artisanal goods), which will be more expensive yet easier for the people to afford due to increases in productivity in the production of other goods and services.