Most people today aren’t aware that the true intention of the American Dream is collective wealth for the country in the form of equality, justice and democracy for all. Today we know the American Dream to be individual pursuit and achievement, primarily through consumerism. The meaning behind the phrase has changed numerous times throughout history, and the current iteration is something the majority of Americans can never achieve.
We have already been reckoning with the collective damage of structures which have resulted in massive wealth inequality and deeply affected the economy. By 2012, these ripple effects could be seen in that the average full-time male worker received the same income he did 30 years prior. The world of technology has changed significantly since 2012, but workers overall haven’t made any gains.
The Future of Work
Too many Americans are not living up to their potential. The funny thing about people is they must be motivated to work — they aren’t robots. This is where everyone has the ability to make an impact. Artificial intelligence is a powerful (and exciting!) opportunity for people to find enrichment in alternate, more fulfilling career paths. We know that people crave meaningful work, and technology has incredible potential to expand the proverbial pie and promote real economic productivity. There are ways we can ensure private and social returns are balanced and appropriate through ethical and legal considerations. What if people’s work was their passion and they received funding from those around them?
Economist Alfred Marshall noted, “highly paid labour is generally efficient and therefore not dear labour.” There’s plenty of experimental data that supports Marshall’s findings (cough *Henry Ford* cough), which is incredibly positive news for the future of work.
Social Benefit
WorkDone is a public-benefit corporation with a mission of helping workers displaced by automation. Through the adoption of Corporate Memory, customers will be funding a cause that more and more needs to be addressed. In the meantime, artificial intelligence has been integrating into our daily lives for years and has made some wonderful improvements to underserved communities. As the technology landscape continues to change at lightning speed, AI has the most potential for a game-changing impact on the world. It has the most ability to capture the true essence of what it takes to be human and navigate people away from poverty through democratizing opportunity.
Learn more about the social impact of AI.
