Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, has invested in the largest basic income study in the United States to date through his nonprofit organization, OpenResearch. This study aimed to provide unconditional cash payments to individuals living below the poverty line over a three-year period.
The research, which involved approximately 3,000 participants aged 21 to 40 from Texas and Illinois, focused on individuals earning less than $30,000 annually. One-third of the participants received $1,000 per month, while the remainder, serving as a control group, received $50.
Results indicated that those receiving the larger payments had greater freedom to search for jobs that aligned with their interests and goals. The study’s authors noted, “Cash can increase people’s agency to make employment decisions that align with their individual circumstances, goals, and values. Recipients were more likely to be searching for a job, but they were more selective.”
One participant shared their experience of how the cash transfers allowed them to save, stating, “I’m in a position for once to be picky. I don’t have to take a crappy job just because I need income right now.” Another recipient mentioned that they took a lower-paying entry-level job in their desired field, leading them to a six-figure salary within two years, adding, “If I didn’t have the cash transfers there is no way I could have taken that pay cut.”
The study did not reveal significant differences in employment rates between recipients of the larger payments and those in the control group. The payments primarily increased spending on essential needs such as food, housing, and transportation. They also helped recipients address health issues, including treatments for braces and alcoholism. Although the payments initially reduced stress, many health benefits seemed to diminish after two years.
Sam Altman advocates for universal basic income as the rise of artificial intelligence reshapes the labor market and leads to job displacement.
An earlier version of this story mistakenly attributed the conducting of the study to OpenAI instead of the correct organization, OpenResearch.