The Paradox of Productivity

Keynes predicted in 1930 that his grandkids would work 15 hours a week. He was wrong. As productivity went up, we just found more work to do.

But the AI revolution feels different. It is not just automating muscle (like the Industrial Revolution); it is automating cognition.

The Decoupling

For the first time, economic output might decouple from human labor hours. An agent swarm can work 24/7/365 without coffee breaks.

Scenario A: The Dystopia

Companies fire 50% of staff to boost margins. Inequality skyrockets. The displaced workers struggle to retrain.

Scenario B: The Utopia

Work becomes about direction and creativity. The boring 80% of every job vanishes. Lawyers don't search for precedents; they argue cases. Architects don't draw beams; they design spaces.