X's Nikita Bier: Welfare Applicants Should Lose Benefits for Not Using AI to Make Money
nikitabier · x · 2026-10-11
Nikita Bier, X's head of product, proposed a provocative idea: every social welfare program should require a signed affidavit asking whether the applicant has attempted to use AI to become more productive or make money — and answering "no" should cost them eligibility, since it amounts to admitting unwillingness to participate in the economy.
The take effectively frames AI adoption as a basic threshold for economic participation, tapping into ongoing debates about AI's impact on jobs and inequality, while drawing criticism for tying welfare to technology usage.
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