[citrin_ru]

On one hand richest top 1% own 30% of the total US wealth (and services/goods for the rich is a booming sector) but on other hand their wealth depends on a fully functioning economy. If 99% of population will be excluded form the economy top 1% will not be able to keep their current wealth either (even if they still be comparatively better off).

[xg15]

I worry that some fraction of those 1%ers have the hope that this is where AI will lead to in the end: You don't need the 99% if they can actually be replaced with robots.

Or, if that doesn't work (because the robots are too dumb), you can at least split off the economy into a "poor" and a "rich" part that are mostly disconnected from each other.

[FrustratedMonky]

I wonder if this is what will happen. We'll have a two tier world.

What if the 99% of 'poor', create their own economy, own currency, start opening shops, small factories, etc...

Could we have an entire society without the rich? Reboot an an actual economy based on real goods?

[xhrpost]

I don't see how the rich don't understand this. Guess they just think it won't happen to them and they'll be smart enough to cash out of America and go elsewhere before everyone else looses.

[ceejayoz]

They think the robots will soon be good enough to replace the human workers.

Including the security roles that ensure the unemployed workers don't forcefully express their dismay at being redundant.

[giraffe_lady]

Would you rather be a billionaire in a world of millionaires, or a millionaire in a world of penniless peasants? What we're seeing now is the billionaires' answer to this question.

[butterbomb]

They know. That’s why they’re investing in things like land and building castles. They know the future they’ve designed. They’re already laying the foundation needed to win total power.