The obvious problem with UBI?

Universal Basic Income (UBI) has recently been championed as a panacea for the impending job losses due to advancements in AI and automation—hailed by executives, scientists, and politicians alike.

However, the prospect of implementing UBI on a global scale remains highly improbable, if not impossible. The challenge lies in the very first word of UBI: “Universal.”

A localized UBI fails to tackle the complexities of a global market. As jobs migrate online and automation takes over, the ties between workers, companies, and their physical locations weaken, reducing the likelihood of support for taxation aimed at aiding unemployed workers in a specific area.

Convincing wealthier countries to increase their taxes to assist those in poorer nations might seem like an idyllic socialist dream, but such measures would undoubtedly face massive resistance. It's challenging enough to advocate for higher taxes within a country to support its own citizens, let alone those abroad.

In the end, some form of UBI will become necessary. Ideally, as manufacturing and energy costs decline, the cost of living should decrease correspondingly—not the value of human lives!