Intel wants robot redundancy pay for people who lose their jobs to AI

Scared a robot’s going to take your job? Well, Intel’s with you. The company has just released a call for the US government to set aside funding to help people who lose their jobs because of artificial intelligence technologies.

The company called for help to “mitigate the damages” AI technologies could have in its latest (catchily named) Intel’s Recommendations for the US National Strategy on Artificial Intelligence white paper.

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The paper was published on Tuesday, in response to the ‘Maintaining American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence’ executive order that was issued by the White House in February.

In it the company argues: “Federal and local governments should study how AI and automation will impact the workforce and identify which traditional methods of addressing job displacement will be most effective.”

Intel goes on to say that, in the long-term, funds should be set aside to aid people who lose their jobs.

“Support Unemployment Insurance and Benefits. Government, collaborating with industry, could provide unemployment insurance in the form of benefits for individuals whose jobs have been directly replaced or reduced by AI,” reads the paper.

“Data exists in support of unemployment insurance in these situations, but more studies are needed to accurately measure if current types of unemployment insurance will provide enough transition assistance and whether existing benefits provide enough support to maintain the stability of the economy.”

The company adds that the government should establish a nebulous “national service” to ensure people affected by the tech are able to retain “a sense of dignity” and find new employment.

“Jobs are more than a source of income; they also provide a sense of dignity and value beyond that gained from wages and benefits. A study of the degree to which a broad-based public-private partnership network of National Service opportunities could alleviate job loss would provide more insight on this topic,” reads the paper.

The news follows widespread concern about the impact AI and robotics advancements will have on the job market, with many commentators suggesting it could eradicate some job types. Despite the fears many experts have suggested the impact won’t be as bad as first thought.

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Ekkehard Ernst, Chief of Macro-economic policies and job unit at the UN International Labour Organization suggested in a speech back in September 2018 that while AI will change the types of jobs humans have, it won’t lead to mass unemployment.

Whatever happens, the new executive will keep tech companies busy. President Trump has also called for the US to become a leader in the currently non-existent 6G networking technology market. Then there’s his plans for a national Space Force.

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