As technology changes the nature of work and the employment landscape, there is a growing recognition that we may not need to all be working, or all working to the same extent, to maintain the economy. Automation is set to replace an ever-growing share of jobs.

Precarious work like gig-work that enables current versions of technology - from rideshare drivers to delivery people - will likely be impacted with full automation to self-driving vehicles and robots. Traditionally “white collar” jobs are also increasingly vulnerable to automation from sophisticated AI. As these changes occur, Universal Basic Income can be a tool to support those whose jobs are lost to automation and to capture and distribute back some of the productivity and efficiency gains made by machines.

During this panel we discussed the trends of automation and the creation of precarious labor by the tech industry, and how UBI can help offset some of the negative effects of automation. We pondered what the future of work can look like - and how UBI can be a complementary driver for capturing the benefits of tech.

Does Frequency or Amount Matter? Testing the Perceptions of Four Universal Basic Income Proposals by Leah Hamilton

Albert Wenger, Managing partner at Union Square Venture

Albert Wenger is a managing partner at Union Square Ventures. Before joining USV, Albert was the president of del.icio.us through the company’s sale to Yahoo and an angel investor (Etsy, Tumblr). He previously founded or co-founded several companies, including a management consulting firm and an early hosted data analytics company. Albert graduated from Harvard College in economics and computer science and holds a Ph.D. in Information Technology from MIT.

Andy Stern, President Emeritus SEIU, Senior Fellow Economic Security Project

Andy Stern is the President Emeritus of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). Stern has been featured on The Colbert Show, 60 Minutes, CNN, Charlie Rose, and on the covers of the New York Times Magazine, Fortune, and on the covers of the New York Times Magazine, Fortune, and BusinessWeek. Mr. Stern was a Presidential Appointee on the Simpson- Bowles Commission and is now a Senior Fellow at The Economic Security Project. His book –Raising the Floor: How a Universal Basic Income Can Renew Our Economy and Restore the American Dream calls for America to take bold action to prepare for the massive potential of job disruption.

As the CEO of Steady, Adam is a leading advocate and thought leader for part-time, contract, hourly and gig workers. Steady’s platform puts powerful AI in the hands of 3 million hourly workers to help them increase their income, and generates insights that help government leaders design programs to get Americans back to work faster.

Adam previously spent several years building and investing in businesses in China, including six years working to help stimulate economic and jobs growth in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities of China with a focus on investing heavily in renewable energy to lower China’s out of control carbon footprint. He started his career with a decade in investment banking, working in M&A and corporate finance transactions, primarily at Lehman Brothers and Barrington Associates (sold to Wells Fargo).

Adam has also served on numerous corporate and non-profit Boards, including the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Los Angeles and Orange County.

Leah Hamilton, Appalachian State University

Leah Hamilton, MSW, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Social Work at Appalachian State University, Senior Fellow at the Jain Family Institute, and Faculty Affiliate at the Social Policy Institute of Washington University in St. Louis. She teaches social welfare policy and conducts research related to economic justice and basic income. Her book, Welfare Doesn't Work: The Promises of Basic Income for a Failed American Safety Net was released by Palgrave MacMillan in 2020. Her work has been featured in multiple national publications including The Atlantic, Vice News, National Public Radio, Governing Magazine, Fast Company, and Bloomberg View. She currently serves on the boards of ACLU of North Carolina, the Basic Income Earth Network, and Influencing Social Policy.

Ioana Marinescu, University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice

Dr. Ioana Marinescu is an economist who studies the labor market to craft policies that can enhance employment, productivity, and economic security. To make an informed policy decision, it is crucial to determine the costs and benefits of policies. Dr. Marinescu’s research expertise includes online job search, antitrust & the labor market, the universal basic income, unemployment insurance, the minimum wage, and employment contracts. Dr. Marinescu’s research has been published in leading academic journals such as the Quarterly Journal of Economics. She has testified for policy makers, including Congress and the Federal Trade Commission. Her research has been cited in many media outlets including the New York Times, CNN, and the Wall Street Journal. She writes a monthly op-ed for the French newspaper Liberation. Dr. Marinescu is a faculty research fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research. You can follow her on twitter @mioana and check out her research on her website, marinescu.eu

Monika Viktorova is a tech and AI strategy consultant based in Toronto, Canada. She specializes in AI and tech ethics and is passionate about avoiding dystopia by creating a brighter future with tech instead. Monika sits on the Board of Basic Income Canada Network where she advocates for UBI as an offset to some of the challenges of our globalized world, including the effects of tech and automation. You can reach her on Twitter @mviktoro

UBI & Tech: What is the future of tech work?