Who will buy your services if you fire us all?
In a post on his blog, Carette argues that the current trend of replacing human workers with AI is self-defeating for tech companies. He points out that if AI takes over most jobs, the resulting mass unemployment will eliminate the customer base for AI services and products. People without income cannot purchase subscriptions, cloud services, or any digital goods. The author cites historical examples of automation leading to economic downturns and suggests that without a universal basic income or similar safety net, the AI industry will cannibalize its own market. He emphasizes that the very people being replaced are the ones who would buy the services these companies sell. The post is a cautionary tale against unchecked automation without considering economic consequences.
Developers building AI tools risk destroying their own market by eliminating customers' purchasing power.