We Need a Universal Basic Income

December 9, 2025

The news hasn't stopped. MIT recently reported that the AI available today can replace 12% of jobs in the economy.

The government can reduce the magnitude of the disruption in the short to medium term by investing in AI-proof jobs, but we cannot stop this downward trend. Congress needs to begin developing strategies for an economy that operates on only a fraction of today's labor force. The message is clear: we need a Universal Basic Income.

The concept of Universal Basic Income (UBI) has existed for centuries, with many programs being implemented over the years. In the past 60 years, even the United States has explored UBI, with Alaska perhaps being the most successful implementation.

UBI has the potential to eradicate poverty by ensuring that every citizen receives a payment sufficient to cover the average costs for housing, food, transportation, and communication, removing the fear of every American family of becoming destitute in the world's richest country. 

What is a Universal Basic Income?

A UBI is an unconditional cash payment made to citizens to meet their basic needs. This is a recurring payment similar to how wages are paid.

Would individuals need to be unemployed to receive a UBI?

No. A UBI is payed to all 'eligible' recipients regardless of their employment status or their level of earned income. You needn't be unemployed or seeking employment to receive a UBI.

How does someone become eligible for a UBI?

Eligible recipients are generally defined as all citizens (and likely permanent residents, but for brevity we'll refer to eligible recipients as citizens going forward) of the country. No citizen is made ineligible because of any special circumstance.

Are children eligible to receive a UBI?

Yes. All citizens would receive a UBI regardless of age. It is likely that children would receive a smaller UBI than an adult.

Does your eligibility or amount received change based on your marital status?

No. Every adult receives the same amount UBI regardless of their marital status. This is an individual benefit.

Would other social programs still exist under a UBI?

Some social program would remain, such as Medicare, but others could be subsumed into a UBI scheme, such as SNAP, Child Tax Credit, and the Earned Income Tax Credit to name a few.

What about Social Security. Would that be affected?

Very likely. You could imagine a UBI as Social Security for All, which would allow a payment to each citizen from birth until death. Social Security would simply become your UBI payment after retirement.

How would we pay for a UBI?

A generous federal UBI for every citizen could be achieved for less than one quarter of the GDP of the United States in 2024. This is before considering the savings achieved from no longer administering other government social programs that the UBI seeks to address. From there, a basic income tax on additional earned income from all citizens, as well as taxation mechanisms such as a wealth tax and taxing the means of production utilized by companies, including AI and automation, would allow for the funding of such a program.

Why now?

While the United States may soon be forced to examine a version of UBI due to impending job disruptions caused by AI and automation, it's extremely important to point out that the US has always had the resources and the reasons to implement a UBI. We simply lacked the political will. A UBI doesn't just serve to cushion the blow of a restructured labor market; it allows for the reduction or potential eradication of poverty across the country, gives workers the power to negotiate, and empowers the self-determination of every American. It would move us towards an equitable society like no other system before it and give every American the stability they need to chart the best lives for themselves and their families.