A people-first vision for the future of work in the age of AI

Many American workers associate artificial intelligence with layoffs, less satisfying work, and tech billionaires becoming ever more wealthy at their expense. They may be right. But one can also imagine a world in which the fruits of AI are instead invested in society. What if every K-12 student was taught by well-trained teachers in small classes, every patient interacted with unharried nurses, elders had the opportunity to age with dignity in their own homes or in high-quality residential care facilities, and everyone could find an affordable therapist when needed? And what if care workers were all people, not AI systems or robots, doing meaningful, well-paid work to rebuild our communities and health, supported and paid for by the fruits of the AI economy? While tech companies target already underfunded care professions for replacement by AI, undermining our shared humanity and connections, we describe a vision for an AI future that puts people first.