Let’s stop pretending this is just another tech revolution. Artificial intelligence isn’t here to make life easier, it’s here to make the rich even richer. And unless we radically rethink how our economy works, AI won’t just disrupt jobs. It’ll dismantle the very idea of work as a path to survival.
In today’s system, your right to eat, live, and exist is tied to your ability to earn. But what happens when machines can do your job faster, cheaper, and without needing a lunch break? From call centres to copywriting, AI is already replacing humans, and it’s only getting started.
The winners? Tech giants and shareholders. The losers? Everyone else.
This is where socialism, or at least a serious dose of it, becomes essential. We need universal basic income. We need to tax companies that replace workers with algorithms. We need to stop treating welfare as a dirty word and start seeing it as a lifeline in a world where “get a job” is no longer an option.
But instead of planning for this, we’re stuck in Cold War hangovers. Say “socialism” and people picture gulags and breadlines. Meanwhile, Scandinavian countries quietly combine strong safety nets with thriving economies and no one’s screaming about Marx.
Capitalism had a good run. But if it can’t adapt to a world where human labour is optional, it’s not fit for purpose. AI could free us from drudgery and open up a more creative, humane society. Or it could turn us into surplus data points.
The choice is ours. But let’s be clear: without a shift towards socialism, AI won’t just change the world. It’ll break it.