If people were properly incentived we could easily automate out the fast majority of fast food and retail work. The only reason they haven't is because minimum wage labor is so ludicrously cheap they don't need to bother.

The self driving and AI stuff is pretty stupid though.

It's like you didn't even read the last half of my comment.

Of course it's not good right now. I admitted as such. I even said the same things you said.

But do you really think capitalism will just sit on its hands and let this stuff stay bad forever? Do you really think this is the apex of this tech? Half your arguments are "well don't give them your business then", disregarding the fact that change is already happening on the ground from AI drive-thrus to self-checkouts to the death of concept artists.

It's like the people saying the Internet was a fad, or people insisting climate change was overblown. Sticking your head in the sand and assuming that "it'll never be good" is opening yourself up to being blindsided - because what if you're wrong?

Arrogantly assuming that this stuff will never get better is how we'd wind up with large swaths of the workforce kicked out of their jobs as they get replaced by robots. Assuming the status quo is always going to be the same is what we did with climate change for decades, and now we're here and fucked.

Could you imagine what would be different if we took climate change seriously in 2002? We're dealing with the same sort of threat now. We should lobby for protections and legislation like UBI to ensure that the threat can't come to pass - or if it does, that a broad social safety net can take care of everyone.

You may work in FOSS, but I work in AAA game development as an engineer, primarily C++ - otherwise I have the same qualifications as you.

I cannot talk about what I do but trust me when I say I see this stuff on the horizon from within the capitalistic beast. Things are in motion that I don't think we can come back from. Execs have dollar signs in their eyes and R&D is full steam ahead.

But let's say I'm wrong, and for whatever reason all of automation is somehow a dead-end. What's wrong with having a better safety net? What's wrong with preparing workers better for large shocks to the economy?

If we prepare and I'm wrong - then at least there's a net benefit that will stick around next time a large depression or economic shock happens (e.g. COVID). If we don't prepare and you are wrong, then huge sections of the economy are absolutely fucked.

Which would you rather have?