OpenAI CEO Proposes "Compute as Universal Basic Income," Urges AI Oversight

Exploring the socio-economic implications of frontier AI models, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman envisions a departure from monetary income towards a universal basic compute (UBC) system, where computing power becomes a valuable resource, complementing the existing government poverty assistance programs. With concerns about the potential risks of AI, Altman highlights the necessity of a global oversight board to regulate large AI projects, ensuring safety while allowing startups to thrive. He emphasizes the urgency of addressing job displacement, advocating for a UBC system that empowers individuals with access to advanced compute resources, fostering economic growth and innovation in the face of AI advancements.

OpenAI CEO Envisions Compute as Universal Basic Income, Calls for Oversight of Frontier AI

In a thought-provoking interview on the All-In podcast, OpenAI CEO and Tools for Humanity Chairperson Sam Altman has painted a compelling vision for the future of society, where artificial intelligence (AI) plays a transformative role in addressing socioeconomic disparities and safeguarding humanity from potential threats.

Compute as Universal Basic Income

Altman believes that the rapid advancements in AI, exemplified by models like ChatGPT and DALL-E, hold the key to a radical restructuring of our economic systems. He envisions a future where "compute" - the computational power of AI - becomes a fundamental resource and asset. By harnessing this resource, Altman suggests that we could establish a universal basic income (UBI) that transcends monetary boundaries.

"I think the first thing we need to do is think about compute as a resource," Altman said. "If we can give everyone access to a certain amount of compute, then they can use that to generate income."

Altman's concept of compute as UBI aligns with his belief in the power of markets. He argues that by providing everyone with a baseline level of computational resources, they can harness their creativity and ingenuity to generate wealth and improve their lives.

Addressing AI Risks

While Altman is optimistic about the potential benefits of AI, he acknowledges the inherent risks associated with this transformative technology. He envisions a time when frontier AI systems could potentially pose significant threats to humanity, ranging from catastrophic accidents to mass displacement of jobs.

To mitigate these risks, Altman advocates for the establishment of a global oversight board with the authority to regulate the most powerful AI projects. This board, he says, would ensure reasonable safety testing and prevent the proliferation of harmful applications.

"I think there will come a time, in the not super distant future ... where the frontier AI systems are capable of causing significant global harm," Altman said. "And, for those kinds of systems ... I would like to see some sort of international agency that is looking at the most powerful systems and ensuring reasonable safety testing."

Advocacy for UBI

Altman is a long-time advocate for UBI, which he believes can address the inefficiencies and inadequacies of traditional government poverty assistance programs. Through his work with Tools for Humanity and the Worldcoin cryptocurrency platform, he aims to provide a simple and dignified approach to UBI.

"I'm not a super fan of how the government has handled most policies designed to help poor people, and I kind of believe that if you could just give people money they would make good decisions and the market would do its thing," Altman said.

Altman recognizes that UBI alone cannot solve all social problems or guarantee happiness. However, he believes that it can provide a foundation for individuals to improve their lives and create a more equitable society.

Evolution of UBI

Altman acknowledges that the concept of UBI has evolved since he first introduced it in 2016. With the rapid advancements in AI, he now envisions a paradigm shift where compute itself could become the universal basic asset.

"2016 was a very long time ago. ... I wonder if the future looks something more like universal basic compute than universal basic income and everybody gets a slice of GPT-7's compute and they can use it, they can resell it, they can donate it to somebody to use for cancer research," Altman said.