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Bill Gates suggests ‘robot tax’ to compensate for human job losses
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In this Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2016 file photo, Bill Gates arrives to Trump Tower in New York. Despite its many potential loop holes—including the probable scenario of worker robots becoming unreasonably expensive—Gates is convinced that taxation is key to making the transition more feasible for human workers. (AP/Seth Wenig)
W
ith technological advancement making human workers more expendable each day, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates wants to somehow regulate the inevitable rise of the machines.
The tech mogul, as per Forbes, reportedly wants to impose tax to robot workers in order to offset the impending job losses. By doing so, corporations or even the government could fund training for positions where humans are still needed, including child and senior care.
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Despite its many potential loop holes—including the probable scenario of worker robots becoming unreasonably expensive—Gates is convinced that taxation is key to making the transition more feasible for human workers.
More so, the Windows godfather is also convinced that government should be “figuring [policy] out” to further prepare the sudden avalanche of unemployed workers.
His suggested initiative, however, was already rejected by the European Parliament, which is reportedly focusing on crafting regulations and establishing ethics when it comes to deploying robots.
This article appeared on the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
