AI Revolution Leaves Billions Unpaid As Corporations Reap Trillions

Artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly evolved, generating trillions of dollars in value, largely fueled by the data contributed by the public. However, the economic benefits of AI are predominantly reaped by corporations, leaving the end-users who provide the data with no compensation. This issue highlights the problem of invisible labor in the 21st century, where billions of people are unpaid contributors to the AI revolution. Their data, ranging from words and code to faces and movements, is used to train AI models that are then monetized by powerful companies.

This economic model, where humans are excluded from the benefits of their labor, is not new. Historically, empires have been built on uncredited creative labor. The scale of this issue is now global, raising questions about fairness, power, and the future of intelligence. The current system risks a future where intelligence is owned by a few corporations rather than shared by all.

To address this, a new economic model for AI, known as Payable AI, has been proposed. This model envisions a future where AI is built openly, with every contributor traceable and every use compensated. Each piece of data used to train a model would carry a tag or digital receipt, ensuring that the original creator is compensated every time the model is used. This concept is similar to how musicians earn royalties for their tracks or developers get credited for their open-source code.

AI, unlike traditional software, is not static; it learns, decays, and improves with every interaction. It relies on a continuous supply of human input, making it more like a living ecosystem. However, there is currently no system to account for this supply chain or to reward those who contribute to it. Payable AI aims to create a circular economy of knowledge, where participation equals ownership and every interaction has traceable value.

As autonomous AI agents become more prevalent, they will need wallets and access to fine-tuned models, datasets, APIs, and human guidance. The infrastructure for machine-to-machine commerce is not yet ready, and without a system to track the use of intelligence and compensate contributors, the AI ecosystem risks becoming a black market of stolen insights and untraceable decisions.

The control of AI is currently in the hands of a few powerful companies and governments. These entities are building models that will power various sectors, from education to defense. There is a choice to be made: continue down the path of consolidation, where intelligence is governed by a handful of platforms, or build an open system where models are transparent, attribution is automatic, and value flows back to the people who made it possible.

Laying the foundation for ethical AI will require new rights, such as the right to attribution, compensation, and the ability to audit systems built on personal data. It will also demand new infrastructure, including wallets, identity layers, and permission systems that treat data as labor. A legal framework that recognizes the value created by people is also necessary. Currently, the world is working for free, but this will not last. Once people understand what they have given, they will ask what they are owed. The question remains: will there be a system ready to pay them?

The current system risks a future where intelligence, the most powerful force on Earth, is privatized, unaccountable, and beyond our reach. However, it is possible to build a better system. The first step is to admit that the current system is broken and take action to create a more equitable and transparent AI ecosystem.