The author further discusses the concept of the Protestant Work Ethic and how societal norms and expectations around work have changed over time. She suggests that the shame associated with unemployment could be mitigated if all workers were displaced by AI, as it would be a universal experience. The author also explores the potential for people to find happiness and fulfillment outside of work, citing examples of retirees, women who have entered the workforce, and aristocrats of the past. The article concludes by suggesting that the future might involve a shift towards a society where work is not the primary source of meaning and fulfillment.
Key takeaways:
- The author, a worker at a frontier AI company, predicts that advancements in AI could end employment as we know it, especially in knowledge work fields such as freelance writing, customer service, and software development.
- The author argues that the impact of AI-induced unemployment on happiness and well-being will depend on how people use their free time and whether they can meet their financial needs through other means such as universal basic income.
- Research suggests that the psychological effects of unemployment can be mitigated if it is experienced as a shared, blameless event rather than a personal failure, and if people are able to engage in social or productive activities during their free time.
- The author suggests that society may need to rethink the Protestant work ethic and the idea that work is the primary source of meaning and status, and instead look to examples such as retirement, women's entry into the workforce, and the lifestyles of past aristocrats for alternative models of happiness and well-being.