As industry experts continue to warn that artificial intelligence could disrupt the global labor market, Alex Bores, a Democratic member of the New York State Assembly who is running for the U.S. Congress, has proposed an “AI Dividend”—a policy that would provide payments to Americans if the technology significantly reduces employment.
According to the AI Dividend framework, triggers for payments include sustained declines in labor force participation, wage compression in affected sectors, or rapid increases in AI-driven productivity without corresponding job growth.” If the triggers are met, then the program would distribute direct payments to Americans while also funding workforce transition programs, educational initiatives, and government oversight initiatives.
While the framework aims to ensure the AI dividend activates based on real-world conditions, not political discretion, it does not mention how much money each eligible American will receive or the frequency at which payments will go out.
“What is striking to me about this AI boom is that it’s bigger, it’s broader, and it’s moving faster than anything has before,” Amodei told CNN last summer. “Compared to previous technology changes, I’m a little bit more worried about the labor impact, simply because it’s happening so fast that, yes, people will adapt, but they may not adapt fast enough.”
Today, I’m proud to announce the AI Dividend, my plan to prepare for the AI economy with direct payments to Americans funded by tax reform that simultaneously incentivizes hiring humans instead of AI.
The document frames the proposal as preparation for that possibility rather than as a direct response to current economic conditions.
“No one knows exactly how this will play out,” the policy said. “But what we do know is this: if AI replaces a significant share of human labor, our current economic system is not prepared.”
Funding mechanisms in the AI dividend framework include a tax on AI usage measured in tokens, equity warrants that would allow the federal government to purchase shares in major AI companies if their value rises significantly, and tax reforms that address incentives favoring capital investment over wages.
Bores’ framework argues that designing policies that protect human workers before large-scale disruption occurs may be easier than attempting to redistribute economic gains later.
“The AI Dividend is only possible if we act now. Once a small number of companies have accumulated extraordinary wealth and displaced workers across the economy, the political and practical window for creative policy closes,” it reads. “Demanding stakes in companies after they have already captured the value is far harder than building smart structures today, while the technology is still taking shape.”
The office of Representative Bores did not immediately respond to a request for comment by Decrypt.
