A new pilot program offers a financial bridge for AI-displaced workers

The program, led by the Fund for Guaranteed Income and the tech advocacy group What We Will, addresses a growing divide in the labor market. While demand for senior-level engineers with specialized AI expertise remains high, entry-level software roles are vanishing. SignalFire data suggests that new graduate hiring in Big Tech plummeted by more than 50% in 2024 compared to 2019 levels, creating a bottleneck for those attempting to enter the field.

Unlike traditional universal basic income models, the AI Dividend is time-limited and conditional. Participants like Dean Grey, a former trucker turned tech worker, receive monthly payments alongside mentorship and project-based training. Grey, who struggled to secure a role after hundreds of applications, is currently developing an AI chatbot to assist other unemployed individuals in finding resources for healthcare and networking. The organizers aim to distribute $3 million over the next year to help workers transition into new roles rather than facing long-term unemployment. While critics argue that broad-based unconditional payments are fiscally unsustainable, the program’s founders emphasize that their model is a targeted intervention designed specifically to prevent the erosion of professional skills during periods of rapid technological disruption.