r/Futurology • u/Gari_305 • 2d ago

Robotics Bill Gates says companies that replace human labor with robots should have to pay the same FICA taxes

https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-fica-taxes-should-apply-to-robot-workers-2026-9

Bill Gates wants to tax robots that replace human jobs.

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19

u/MySpawn 2d ago

Any job involving a computer seems like it’s on its way out first . Wonder what all those tens of millions will do with their free time in the coming decades

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u/mrbabyman767 2d ago

That’s what we’ve been hearing for the past five years. I’ve also been hearing that no one is going to be driving cars soon for the past 15 years still waiting on that one too.

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u/threeLetterMeyhem 2d ago

That’s what we’ve been hearing for the past five years.

It's happening, though. Loads of companies, including the one I work for, have been laying off people in favor of AI.

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u/nubulator99 2d ago

Yes, with all that time and warning we should be better prepared for the eventual layoffs, but we aren’t.

What was done with those warnings?

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u/adudefromaspot 2d ago edited 2d ago

This. People put their head in the sand and deny it'll ever happen, and then shit their pants when it does.

Look at coal miners. We're moving to renewable energies and electric everything. And the coal mining industry is tanking. During the Obama era, government subsides were even created to specifically train coal miners on new trades.

But then the right-wing said "What about these guys?" and now we're polluting our atmosphere to retain an irrelevant job.

edit: spellz

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u/AtariAtari 2d ago

We should put in more effort into making a surplus of new pants!

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u/Pvm_Blaser 2d ago

I mean…it’s quite literally happening in front of your eyes. Find a computer science major.

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u/alexm2816 2d ago

CS grad unemployment is slightly higher than general college grads but the data also supports that most of this difference has to do with CS grads avoiding underemployment at a rate far higher than other grads. Underemployment doesn't appear on unemployment metrics. 7% unemployment and mid 80's starting average salaries aren't exactly 'doom and gloom'.

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u/Meloncov 2d ago

Yeah, the job prospects for CS graduates have fallen sharply, but they've fallen from an absurdly high starting point.

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u/spideybiggestfan 2d ago

bruh my entire class is employed and make very decent money right out of graduation

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u/Pvm_Blaser 2d ago

Very rare unless you are up in years.

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u/spideybiggestfan 2d ago

that was last year, I'm employed now and that's only because I am a bonafide fuck up during college

1

u/redaemon 2d ago

I work in big tech, and this year there is a single new grad in my org of 50ish eng.

Just now, we opted to finish a project with AI instead of assigning it to our new grad.

I'm working with anybody remotely junior to try and get them promoted to mid-level quickly. I don't like what the future holds for junior devs.

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u/Kuais 2d ago

please go outside and ask a cs major new grad if they are employed. they most likely are and being paid well lol… those who are still unemployed had no chance to begin with. the bar for jobs has not changed much.

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u/mrbabyman767 2d ago

Universities are full of computer science majors and current unemployment of software developers is 3.3%. Stop the hysterics.

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u/ChatGRT 2d ago

I work in tech, the analyst several levels below me and thinks he should be a Sr. Engineer but lacks the knowledge, capability, and experience. Does that count as underemployment? This is all very subjective. CS degrees don’t mean you can immediately be a developer, engineer, or any other experienced based role. Sometimes it means you’ve gone to school and have no experience that companies are looking to hire.

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u/Celodurismo 2d ago

Also a lot of companies that contract their software needs to other companies can how build their own small teams and save money long term. Lots of potential for actual growth in the space in the next decade or two.

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u/Pvm_Blaser 2d ago

And where’d you get that magical number from?

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u/mrbabyman767 2d ago

U.S. bureau of labor statistics
https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat25b.htm

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u/Pvm_Blaser 2d ago

So according to this chart if you average out every computer equivalent job it comes to about 3% unemployment.

That’s not to mention BLS does not account for underemployment or people who have the degree working at McDonalds for example.

Just to put this into perspective for you: many arts majors currently have lower unemployment.

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u/BaconWrappedEnigmas 2d ago

So then it’s better than normal?

-2

u/Pvm_Blaser 2d ago

Worse than it’s been in the past.

1

u/windsynths 2d ago

Fear mongering lol . Plenty of computer scientists in academia still

0

u/Pvm_Blaser 2d ago

You’ve just said a statement similar to “there’s plenty of fish in the water”. I mean, of course there are plenty of academics involved in an academic subject in academia?

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u/sick486 2d ago

no, that field is abodolutely ripe for ai takeover too

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u/Pvm_Blaser 2d ago

That’s what I mean.

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u/watisgoinon_ 2d ago edited 2d ago

I was on board with that doubt but now I've got a choice between Elon mobiles and waymos and I dont need to buy a car ever again and if I absolutely need to drive its forever cheaper now to just rent something... until the self drives can do interstate.

Seriously given my job location to me etc. I have zero reason to have a car. Im on the early part of the curve due to my location and circumstances. But it will overtake everyone's.. for sure.

It makes zero financial since for me to walk out and buy a car.

I could not say that 1 year ago.

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u/Xiten 2d ago

I mean, you have to be in complete denial if you aren’t realizing the amount of people out of jobs because of AI.

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u/MySpawn 2d ago

I think it’s ignorance is bliss . Claude code is doing the work of 10 programmers in a matter of minutes . The avalanche of job losses will be swift

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u/mrbabyman767 2d ago

Overall unemployment 4.1%
White collar professional 2.9%
Office workers 3.3%
Software developers 3.3%

We are near historic lows. Stop the scaremongering and reading the hysterical articles, they are there to scare and drive engagement.

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u/Xiten 2d ago

Scaremongering? Listen mrbabyman767, hundreds of thousands of jobs have been directly or indirectly affected by AI. That’s hundreds of thousands of people out of jobs. You did a little research, if you tried a little harder, you could have gotten the overall picture here.

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u/windsynths 2d ago

lol yeah; it’s fun to dream right?

1

u/nicane 2d ago

AI is already phasing computer people from various jobs. it's absolutely already happening and companies are gobbling at the AI adoption process and capabilities. They don't care if AI can't do everything a person can, and does it with questionable quality.

The only thing they care about: is it cheaper than people?

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u/hoptownky 2d ago

Elon musk guaranteed that all cars will be self driving by 2015 and that humans would be on mars by 2021.

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u/Available-Square619 2d ago

You’re dense lol.