Oxford/DeepMind paper surveys 8,234 workers: why basic income can't replace meaning of work
lawhsw · x · 2026-11-13
Julian Jacobs (Oxford, Google DeepMind) published "What is Work For? Labor, Politics, and Meaning in the Age of AI," based on an original cross-national survey of 8,234 working-age adults in the UK, US, Denmark, and India.
- 81% report job satisfaction; majorities in all four countries are strongly motivated by non-monetary aspects of work.
- Via a "Work Values" Index: 1/3 are intrinsically motivated, 1/4 by social/community aspects, 17% by status, 1/4 by financial benefits.
- Most would leave if given guaranteed income, but one fifth would stay even at 120% of salary; intrinsically motivated workers disproportionately refuse basic income substitution.
- Non-monetary motivations are evenly distributed across income levels and collar types.
Implication: UBI may be necessary for an AI labor shock but could fail to compensate for lost non-monetary benefits of work.
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