The BaseEssayLessWrong
The Newly "Needed" Labor: Under AI 2040, economic growth is normal, but prices fall exponentially
In a LessWrong post, Christopher King responds to the AI Futures Project's forecast of roughly 90% yearly output growth from 2032 to 2037. King argues that prices in a robot economy would fall exponentially, so income shares would not shift as the forecast implies, and humans would still need jobs valued for non-economic reasons.
Why it matters
The same thing, for different readers.
What it means for you
A forum author argues that if AI does most work, prices would fall sharply, and people would depend on jobs that are valued because humans do them.
For researchers
Christopher King challenges the AI Futures Project's claim that income shares shift towards AI and robots, arguing exponentially falling prices offset it.
The question it raises
If most output is automated, what remains for humans may be work valued for non-economic reasons, such as art and chess.
The record
- Questions
- What happens to work, income and the economy? · How fast is AI advancing, and where is it heading?
- People
- Christopher King (Wrote it)
- What we read
- We have read only the description the publisher gives. No quotations until someone reads the source itself.
- Found by
- The Radar, run of October 30, 2026, via
lesswrong(tier 1: the source’s own channel or an official record) - Cite this
- LessWrong, “The Newly "Needed" Labor: Under AI 2040, economic growth is normal, but prices fall exponentially”, October 29, 2026. Entry in the Ctrl AI Base, https://ctrlai.com/base/lesswrong-2026-10-29-newly-needed-labor-ai-2040