Bill Gates says companies that replace human labor with robots should have to pay the same FICA taxes
Bill Gates has renewed his proposal to tax robots and AI systems that replace human labor to fund social safety nets. He argues that taxing 'units of labor' regardless of whether they are human or machine is necessary to support displaced workers.
Why it matters
The proposal addresses the long-term economic impact of automation on tax revenue and the social contract in an AI-driven economy.
Bill Gates wants to tax robots that replace human jobs. Tom Brenner/Getty Images Bill Gates says he wants workers to pay their fair share — even if they're not human. By taxing robot workers and AI tokens, Gates says the US can ensure its social safety nets remain. Gates first proposed the robot tax back in 2017. Bill Gates has a plan to ensure that humans keep getting paid in an AI jobs apocalypse: Tax the robots. In an interview with Ezra Klein of The New York Times that aired on Tuesday, the billionaire philanthropist said that "society gets to decide" how to support its workers — even if AI is pushing them out.
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