Someone at work brought it up and it turns out Bill Gates has previously suggested it. So, as Mrs Merton used to say, "let's have a heated debate" (I'm just going to sit back and watch really) https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/feb/26/robots-make-sure-pay-taxes Discuss.
Entitlement at its worst. People are beginning to realise how worthless they are, so they're desperate to hold on to the handouts they get.
This is an easy one. The robots don't actually get paid and so cannot pay tax. It's the companies that are benefiting so we'd have to put up corporation tax. Now which political party would do that??.....
No because that would probable include NI. . They would then want free repairs on the NHS and it is already under pressure.
and those bloody robots that have too many smoking breaks... while the non-smoking ones just get the regulation breaks!
Plenty of science fiction visions of the future where computers (AI) and robots do all the work, leaving the people to enjoy the money. Depending on your political spectrum this either ends up as dystopia (usually capitalistic) or utopia (socialistic).
When a supermarket finds it cheaper to have a few things pinched and go 'self serve', rather than pay staff to serve on the tills, and when cars/trains/buses/lorries will be fully automatic, I think we have problems. Ultimately, there won't be many jobs and large proportion of the population will be claiming some kind welfare. It seems only logical therefore to tax the employers that used the machines (that replaces humans) some form of tax. Or maybe not.
Think sensibly. Robots do not earn a wage, so what is the point of giving them a tax code, and get them to pay 20% tax on an non-existent wage.
The subject/title of the thread could have been better, but I linked to The Guardian article rather than me clumsily explain it. I was referring to the employers who purchase computing devices/'droids/robots/machines to replace people though, rather than the machine itself.
Yes. There isn't really any other option - it's inevitable. Either that or there'll be mass societal breakdown to deal with. Some Silicon Valley firms are already looking at the universal basic income, having realised that the logical outcome of automation is nobody being able to buy what you're selling! There's no way that could be paid without raising taxes on business significantly - some sort of productivity tax on robot labour would seem to be a good method of doing this.
Finland and Canada are just trialling the universal basic income I believe. In theory, if you removed the need for profit from production, then we could all share the results of the productivity equally. It would require infinite resources though, so can never work while we are combined just to this single solar system.
Yes, he'll not be on a massive amount at Barnsley but it'll be a big step up from Halifax so yes he should pay tax. Sent from the darkest recesses of a poisoned mind.
i doubt that's what mr. gates had in mind, to be fair. globally, the digital workforce is going to have a huge impact on human resources. in theory, this points to increased profits for large organisations, and potentially less tax income to the exchequer. if robotics is truly about delivering a digital workforce (which it is), then shouldn't the organisations hoovering up the profits, be liable for that lost tax revenue? i personally think there's a very strong case for it - especially considering some of those organisations pay **** all tax in the first place!
