The World Economic Forum explores how many computer science experts believe that, in this century, machines will be able to do most tasks better than humans. Given these sorts of predictions, it is important to think about the possible consequences of AI for the future of work and to prepare for different scenarios. Continued progress in these technologies could have disruptive effects: from further exacerbating recent trends in inequality to denying more and more people their sense of purpose and fulfilment in life, given that work is much more than just a source of income.
The purpose of this insight report is to start a discussion about what positive AI economic futures we want in light of these technological trends and how to overcome the challenges we might face in achieving them. In workshops and interviews we asked more than 150 thought leaders, drawn from a variety of different fields, to come up with desirable visions for economic life in the future.
These scenarios represent possible trajectories for humanity. None of them, though, is unambiguously achievable or desirable. And while there are moments of important agreement and consensus among the visions, there are often revealing clashes, too.
Here are some of the possible futures:
Shared economic prosperity
Realigned companies
Flexible labour markets
Human-centric AI
Fulfilling jobs
Civic empowerment and human flourishing