Transforming the Economy in the Age of AI: The Case Against Intellectual Property

The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) has brought significant challenges to the traditional concepts of intellectual property (IP). While some argue that IP should be abolished entirely, this article presents a comprehensive argument against IP and explores alternative solutions to ensure artists are fairly compensated. It also proposes a transformative approach that leverages open-source models to fundamentally change the economic landscape.

The Problem with Intellectual Property in the Age of AI

The concept of IP is fundamentally at odds with the capabilities of AI. When we discuss IP, we often assume a system of ownership that protects unique creations. However, the real problem is not ownership but the impact of AI on artists' earnings.

Artists are increasingly finding their quality of life reduced by AI, which can generate content mimicking their work. This trend highlights the need for alternative solutions that address the erosion of earnings in a capitalist economy.

Compensating Artists: Training Data and Robot Tax

Compensation for Training Data:

One proposed solution is to compensate artists based on the percentage of their work in the training data of AI models. However, this approach faces several challenges. First, the compensation would constantly change, impacting AI companies' costs. By training models on publicly available data before training the main model, companies could avoid compensation. Additionally, enforcing such a system globally is impractical due to the decentralized nature of open-source communities.

Robot Tax:

Another suggestion is a robot tax, where the revenue supports a universal basic income (UBI). While this avoids some of the practical implementation issues, it has profound societal implications. Implementing a robot tax punishes automation, which is beneficial for productivity. Moreover, UBI could be used as a tool by the wealthy to further entrench their power, reducing the share of wealth that ordinary people can access.

The Real Solution: Leveraging Open-Source Models

A Tale of Two Approaches:

To truly address the issues, we must transform the economy by leveraging the open-source community. Open-source models are free by definition and can be installed anywhere, making them a powerful alternative to proprietary models.

Plan of Action:

The strategy involves two key components: Building open-source models to be as capable as possible to narrow the gap between proprietary and open-source models. Acquiring and "jailbreaking" the best robots to install open-source models and use them to create our own productive forces, aiming to establish a resource-based economy within the existing system.

This approach is particularly viable in developing countries with less entrenched economic and societal structures. In these regions, the implementation of open-source models could provide a foundation for a more equitable and sustainable future.

The Future of Intellectual Property and AI

The abolition of IP might seem radical, but it aligns with the goal of ensuring artists' well-being in the age of AI. By shifting to a resource-based economy, people's basic needs will be met by default, allowing artists to focus on creativity without the fear of competing with AI.

AI will continue to be superior, but this won't significantly impact the lives of most people. The transformative power of open-source models offers a pathway to a more equitable and sustainable future, one that adapts to the changing landscape of technology and AI.