Techno-feudalism and the rise of AGI: A future without economic rights?

原始链接: https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.14283

Pascal Stiefenhofer's paper "Techno-Feudalism and the Rise of AGI: A Future Without Economic Rights?" (March 18, 2025) argues that AGI represents a fundamental shift in economic order, blurring the lines between labor and capital because AGI can both produce and own. This concentration of power in those controlling AGI infrastructure threatens to worsen inequality, diminish democratic control, and solidify techno-feudalism. Stiefenhofer contends that the traditional Social Contract, based on human labor, is inadequate in the face of AGI. To avoid mass disenfranchisement, he advocates for a new economic framework focused on equitable distribution of AGI-driven wealth. His proposals include universal AI dividends, progressive taxation, and decentralized governance models. Stiefenhofer emphasizes the urgency of intervention to prevent intelligence itself from becoming the ultimate form of exclusive capital.

Here's a summary of the Hacker News discussion: A submitted article on arXiv speculates on the potential for "Techno-Feudalism" driven by AGI, where economic rights are severely limited. **bix6** expresses skepticism about the idea that AGI lords would implement UBI, given current political trends towards tax cuts and weak antitrust enforcement. **elcritch** elaborates on the article's argument, highlighting the Cobb-Douglas production function and its implications for shifting economic power from human labor to AGI. They note the potential for wealth concentration and the obsolescence of human labor, except in creative or socially intelligent roles. Elcritch suggests that self-sufficiency through local food production and technology could be a way to mitigate dystopian scenarios. **smitty1e** asks if there are historical precedents for the paper's proposed solutions, like universal AI dividends, progressive taxation, and decentralized governance.
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原文

[Submitted on 18 Mar 2025]

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Abstract:The rise of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) marks an existential rupture in economic and political order, dissolving the historic boundaries between labor and capital. Unlike past technological advancements, AGI is both a worker and an owner, producing economic value while concentrating power in those who control its infrastructure. Left unchecked, this shift risks exacerbating inequality, eroding democratic agency, and entrenching techno-feudalism. The classical Social Contract-rooted in human labor as the foundation of economic participation-must be renegotiated to prevent mass disenfranchisement. This paper calls for a redefined economic framework that ensures AGI-driven prosperity is equitably distributed through mechanisms such as universal AI dividends, progressive taxation, and decentralized governance. The time for intervention is now-before intelligence itself becomes the most exclusive form of capital.
From: Pascal Stiefenhofer [view email]
[v1] Tue, 18 Mar 2025 14:21:17 UTC (2,657 KB)
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