New Oxford and Google DeepMind paper finds most workers value jobs beyond pay, so basic income alone may not offset AI job losses.
So plans for the AI transition should protect purpose, community, and dignity at work as well as income.
finds that about 75% of workers would quit if guaranteed 100% of their wage, yet 1 in 5 would refuse even 120%.
If AI automates many jobs, a common plan is a basic income that replaces lost wages. That plan works only if people work mainly for the money.
The author surveyed 8,234 working-age adults in the UK, US, Denmark, and India. Workers were sorted by what they value most in their job and asked what guaranteed income would make them quit.
Only 26% of classified workers valued their job mainly for pay, while one third valued the work itself. 20% would keep working even if offered 120% of their salary as guaranteed income, a share similar across income levels.