The Future of Human Workers in the AI Economy

On a Thanksgiving afternoon, driving from San Francisco to Thousand Oaks, my wife and I found ourselves immersed in a scenario demonstrating the evolving relationship between humans and AI. The scenario unfolded when we got into an argument about choosing the best route, each of us consulting different navigation systems—GPS, Google Maps, and Waze—each offering a different route. This sparked a thought about how humans will play a role in the AI economy of the future.

Humans and AI Coexistence

Our argument in the car reminded me of numerous workplace meetings where individuals bring their unique expertise and best judgment to each decision. However, disagreements are common, especially among experts. This interplay between human judgment and machine decision-making is crucial for big decisions that have no clear answers. The reality is that the question is no longer whether AI and humans can coexist but rather how and to what extent they can achieve together.

Human Value in the AI Economy

The value of human workers in the AI-driven economy cannot be overstated. The fundamental shift needed is recognizing the value humans bring to AI—specifically, data. People create the data, information, knowledge, and expertise that form the backbone of AI systems. Therefore, it is essential to create a system where people are compensated for their contributions. This involves creating royalties and residuals based on the value and information they add to the AI systems.

Without such a system, the economy will be split between those who work with AI and those who do not. Economic models must be designed to account for the contributions of human workers. This will ensure that the divide in the economy is minimized, and everyone can participate in the AI economy.

Coexistence and the Need for Human Expertise

The impact of AI on human jobs is uncertain, but what is certain is that the expertise of human workers is essential to the success of AI systems. When human experts are systematically injected into AI systems, these systems become more accurate, paving the way for continued coexistence rather than replacement. The reliance on human expertise for the success of AI means that there is no danger of people training themselves out of a job. AI content requires constant maintenance, and the more diverse the input from domain experts, the better these systems perform.

Given this reliance, there will always be a need for workers to train AI, and this demand will only grow. As a result, the barrier to entry for participating in the AI economy will lower, allowing more people to participate. While it's true that you might need advanced expertise in certain fields, the democratization of AI means that you won't necessarily need multiple PhDs to contribute meaningfully.

The future of the AI economy is not about machines taking over jobs but about co-creating a world where humans and AI work together to achieve better outcomes. By recognizing the critical role of human expertise, we can build a more inclusive and sustainable economic model for the future.