Xueba's computing system

Chapter 249 Algorithmic Tax

Due to concerns that large catering companies would crush small and medium-sized businesses with the help of AI algorithms, Lin Yuan introduced the "algorithm tax" at the right time.

Lin Yuan believes that technology should be used with caution.

Even though he is a beneficiary of technological development.

In Lin Yuan's view, humans have always had an obsessive trust in technology since the modern industrial revolution, as if technology is always positive and will always bring progress.

But with just a little calculation, today when AI is about to become popular and automation has already become popular, anyone with a brain will find that the development of technology will make more and more people no longer needed.

If there is a possibility that workers in factories may be exploited for surplus value, then the development of technology will make most of them lose even the qualifications to be exploited.

Because machines with intelligent features are easier to use than those used by most people with average quality.

Especially on industrial assembly lines, robotic arms are much more convenient to use than manual labor.

Lin Yuan didn't even dare to think about what trend would emerge if things continued like this. Most people were no longer needed, which meant that these people would lose their economic status. Under the powerful production capacity of modern industrial society, these people could naturally survive, and live a comfortable life.

But with the loss of economic status, they are just surviving.

If the pursuit of profit continues, these people will sooner or later be ruthlessly abandoned because they have no value. People will eventually find that only a small number of people are needed with a large number of AI machines.

So how many people are needed to pair up with AI robots?

There is no exact answer because the answer is changing.

With the popularization of AI, more and more humanization becomes useless.

Lin Yuan even felt that there was a high possibility that there would be only one person left on this earth in the end.

So, what is the purpose of technological development?

To improve production efficiency? Then what is the ultimate purpose of improving production efficiency? Isn't it to serve mankind?

In this case, it is natural to curb the development of science and technology.

Otherwise, we are allowing technology to grow unnecessarily while expecting the added value it brings to be shared with those who are not involved.

This is ridiculous.

The basis of this theory is that the efficiency of producing cakes has improved, and so many people are not needed to participate in production. The freed-up workers can be used to produce other things.

This book is logically self-consistent.

This logic worked perfectly for a long time after the Industrial Revolution.

But, the overall production capacity of human beings is in excess.

In other words, humans eventually discovered that there was nothing left to produce.

Because there are only so many people in each place and so much demand, human demand for cake is not unlimited.

Lin Yuan sketched out a model.

Assuming that the number of people who eat cake is constant, as the efficiency of cake production increases, fewer and fewer producers will be needed. What will happen to the extra people?

This concern remains even when taking into account issues of wealth distribution.

Because the population that the earth can carry is limited, production capacity should not expand indefinitely.

Sooner or later, humanity will face a problem: to meet global human survival needs, it does not require so many people to participate in production.

Then there will be an even more confusing question: What is the value of those vacant positions?

Lin Yuan and Musk discussed this topic, and they agreed on this point that those people should focus their energy on exploring the future of mankind, such as exploring the vast universe and the starry sky.

However, this is obviously just wishful thinking for people like them. Because in fact, people like them are outliers. When they have money, they will choose to enjoy themselves. When they have more money, they will enjoy themselves to the fullest. Few people really care about the starry sky above their heads.

So why should I let those freed-up people explore the future of mankind? Wouldn't it be better to let them serve me? Wouldn't it be better to let me enjoy myself more intensely?

This "I" is not a specific person or a specific group of people, but a part hidden deep in everyone's heart.

Therefore, the ultimate destination of every developed country in the world is to vigorously develop the tertiary industry.

What is the tertiary industry? It is something for people to enjoy and toss around with.

The more developed the place, the higher the proportion of the tertiary industry.

The tertiary industry is like a curse that traps humanity.

If people somewhere do not do this and instead develop aerospace and heavy industries, they will soon be hit hard by universal values.

But in Lin Yuan's opinion, those bright lights and feasting are really not as meaningful as the vast starry sky.

Of course, Lin Yuan did not feel that he was noble because he always felt that the computing system would not let him grow old, get sick and die like ordinary people. So he had a long time to go, and he had plenty of time to consider whether to experience the bright lights and wine in his spare time.

Lin Yuan once curiously asked Musk why he was so obsessed with developing rockets.

Musk's answer was very honest, "To make a lot of money and do something interesting at the same time. Buddy, let me tell you a secret, technology can also bring power.

It’s terrible that people are on this earth so that I can be a carrier of those great dreams.

People always have something to pursue, so I became the embodiment of their ideals in the world.

But, to be honest, I do love this job.

Because human beings on this planet are really terrible.

Before I die, I will carve this into a golden record and throw it into all directions of the universe.

Countless years later, if aliens receive those records, I hope they will know that there are some people on Earth who are not that bad."

Lin Yuan didn't intend to over-analyze Musk's nonsense, because he often talked nonsense in private.

Lin Yuan just subconsciously wanted to take the advancement of technology into his own hands. He absolutely wanted to prevent technology from becoming a tool of oppression for the Internet landlords in the new era.

This is his original intention for coming up with the "algorithm tax".

The algorithm tax stipulates that the more turnover a company generates through the algorithms it uses, the higher the proportion of algorithm licensing fees it pays, which is similar to the progressive tax rate of personal income tax.

The algorithmic tax will continue to be progressive until it reaches 100% of turnover.

Of course, no company is going to actually touch that tax rate 100%.

Every company will be stuck at the break-even point due to the progressiveness of the algorithmic tax.

Beyond this point, the burden of the algorithmic tax will exceed the profits.

As for how appropriate this point is, Lin Yuan played with the principle of market self-regulation and was too lazy to define it. Instead, he calculated the coefficient through AI and determined it every year.

In other words, the tax rate of the algorithm tax is actively adjusted every year by AI based on market feedback.

In this way, there will be no giants in the catering industry that rely on algorithms to suppress small and medium-sized businesses.

At the same time, the introduction of AI has stimulated competition among small and medium-sized businesses.

To put it bluntly, Lin Yuan's operation is to let the fish in the pond compete fully, but to avoid the swallowing of the poisonous insects and raising big fish.

(End of this chapter)