Socioeconomic Inequality
Along with displacing labor, EAI could significantly exacerbate wealth inequalities. Those who have access to or own EAI systems will be able to automate labor and perform many tasks significantly better or faster than those without access. These significant productivity advantages will potentially concentrate wealth and exacerbate domestic and international inequality [98, 99].
ENTITY
2 - AI
INTENT
2 - Unintentional
TIMING
3 - Other
Risk ID
mit1429
Domain lineage
6. Socioeconomic and Environmental
6.2 > Increased inequality and decline in employment quality
Mitigation strategy
1. Implement progressive fiscal and ownership-based policies to redistribute the extraordinary capital returns and economic rents generated by EAI systems. This may include adjusting corporate and capital gains taxation, taxing monopolistic rents derived from unique datasets, or exploring novel mechanisms such as a tax paid in the form of equity shares by high-profit generative AI firms, thereby funding reskilling programs and social safety nets. 2. Mandate and incentivize broad-based workforce upskilling and "AI literacy" by achieving tax parity between human and physical capital. This involves eliminating the tax disadvantage on employer-provided education and investing in universal, subsidized training programs to ensure workers across all income and occupational groups acquire the complementary skills necessary to leverage AI systems rather than be displaced by them. 3. Establish robust, enforceable AI governance frameworks centered on algorithmic equity, transparency, and accountability. This includes mandating rigorous, independent audits for bias detection and mitigation in high-impact AI systems (e.g., those used in hiring, lending, and social services) and enacting strong data governance regulations to prevent the exploitation of personal information and the perpetuation of historical discrimination.