Is the American Working Class Being Reshaped by AI?

The Kirin 9050F chip and Changxin Memory's mobile DRAM applied in Huawei phones demonstrate efforts to expand the proportion of self-developed components despite sanctions. Through such technological self-reliance, Huawei maintains cost competitiveness even with high prices exceeding 4 million won.

Even high-income professions like copywriters are experiencing job insecurity due to the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI), shifting the definition of a worker from effort to substitutability.

These individuals earn labor income through salaries while their assets grow from increasing stock values, forming a new class that cannot be explained by the traditional dichotomy of capitalist and worker.

The concept of 'Homo Plutia' is re-emerging, a term first introduced by economist Branko Milanović in his 2019 book 'Capitalism.'

Unlike the past, where laborers and capital-rich individuals were entirely separate groups, it now signifies that one person can possess both labor income and capital income. High-earning engineers, doctors, and lawyers are prime examples, as they simultaneously rank high in both labor and capital income.

In particular, as class differentiation accelerates based on AI utilization capabilities, the 'Homo Plutia' class, encompassing both labor and capital income, is expected to become even more significant in the future job market.

As the economic circumstances within the working class vary significantly, the likelihood of conflicting demands regarding tax and welfare policies is very high.

Both workers earning billions of won annually and delivery drivers working on platforms are categorized as laborers, but their economic interests differ sharply, which could lead to social unrest and radical political choices. As AI utilization capability becomes a major factor determining future job class, this class differentiation is expected to deepen further.