California could soon be the first U.S. state to impose a “robot tax” to mitigate the economic effects of the replacement of factory workers by machines — if one San Francisco Democrat gets her way.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!According to Wired magazine:
San Francisco supervisor Jane Kim, who Wednesday launched a campaign called the Jobs of the Future Fund to study a statewide “payroll” tax on job-stealing machines. Proceeds from the tax would bankroll things like job retraining, free community college, or perhaps a universal basic income―countermeasures Kim thinks might make a robotic future more bearable for humans.
The idea is being discussed in industrialized countries the world over, as Artificial Intelligence (AI) is beginning to outpace human development in the workplace.
According to Swiss Info, an online European business publication, the idea is gaining traction across the globe: “South Korea this month introduced the world’s first tax on robots amid fears that machines would replace human workers. The country will limit tax incentives for investments in automated machines as part of a newly proposed revision of its tax laws.” The report notes that the European Union is also looking at the issue.
YCombinator start-up guru Sam Altman has been experimenting with the idea of a universal income grant to offset displacement caused by AI. The idea has spread throughout Silicon Valley and is beginning to take root across the country, according to Bloomberg News.
Kim is not ready to push Sacramento for a new law yet. For now, she’s pushing for an open dialogue with all stakeholders including business owners, tech experts, as well as government and union leaders.
Tim Donnelly is a former California State Assemblyman and Author, currently on a book tour for his new book: Patriot Not Politician: Win or Go Homeless. He also ran for governor in 2014.
FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/tim.donnelly.12/
Twitter: @PatriotNotPol
This article was originally published by Breitbart.com/California
More CPUSA agenda to stifle the American Capitalist system. No surprise here..
Will this robot tax apply to the machines CA Ag has used for 2-decades or more to replace field workers?
Why is Jane Kim such a moron?
Oh, right – she’s a Progressive!
so the Dems throw money at Robotic studies now they want to tax the end result??? People… vote smarter please.
You have to love those Socialist communist Democratic leaders in California…California resident and Northern California is basically governed by Mexico using Jerry Brown and his scum Mexicans in sac town…In 2018 using the gas tax that Brown and his Dems voted for as a ammunition the dems will lose a bunch of seats…Ca don’t need more taxes they just need to kick these garbage Dems out of office..
Those pulling the strings and calling the shots in California remind me of children who play a game and during that game make up the rules as they go.
A “robot tax” is just another revenue stream for the children managing the tax revenue and budget.
California economy, I’m sorry to say, needs to collapse along with a legislature “no confidence vote” unanimously passed by the voters!
I for one trust no one from San Francisco, just take note of Pelosi and Feinstein. I also have no trust in our state government which is leaning heavily towards a cruel and oppressive government rule.
Nope! A robot tax is just more money for the incompetent.
So how much is the robot tax? It probably will be cheaper than paying $15.00 an hour. You won’t have to pay for Obamacare or vacation or sick leave. In the long run, it might be cheaper. If the tax is too high…I predict that the business will just move to another state or just shut down.
Just when I had begun thinking the Demoncrats could get any stupider they proved me wrong again.
Feelings matter…
Vote Democrat…
I think robots should be paid the same wages as humans, but also pay income taxes. You’re California. It’s all about fairness and equality. Will they also come in different colors, too?
The luddites will rise again!