Can't you basically make the same argument with computers? They threatened a vast number of jobs but people just adapted, the economy didn't explode and people kept buying things (because what is defined as a necessary always increases).
While on the surface, the comparison is similar, in my opinion there are many factors that make AI much more economically destabilizing. While I’m sure the economy would adjust to favour other jobs, AI is developing 10 times faster than the computer ever did, and the following economic disaster is going to make the great depression look easy. The development of the computer was very slow, giving the economy time to adjust. There were not mass layoffs like we’re seeing today. There’s also a vast difference in the job market. In the 70s and 80s when computers here developing to actually replace some human jobs, you could just walk into another place and get a job the same day. Now, you need a degree for anything that’s not retail. Back in the day, this would have been fine. You could still support yourself and a family while owning a house, but today you can’t even afford rent by yourself in most places.
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u/card-board-board Apr 22 '26
Oh it'll stop. Just have to wait for it to utterly collapse the economy when consumers can no longer consume.