Beyond OpenAI’s Blueprint: A Vision for the Post-Labor Economy
OpenAI just dropped their Economic Blueprint, something I think we all were expecting eventually from them — but this happened fast, early in 2025.
And while they’ve painted an ambitious vision for AI’s future, I believe they’re missing something crucial: how we’ll handle the fundamental transformation of human work itself.
As someone who’s been deep in the AI trenches — having sold my content agency when I saw AI coming and now leading AI strategy at First Movers — I believe we need to think bigger. Much bigger.
Let’s get into it.
The Blueprint’s Blind Spot
OpenAI’s vision focuses on American leadership in AI, emphasizing equitable access and comparing this moment to the dawn of the automobile age.
I’ll say they’re right about many things: the need for investment in chips, data infrastructure, and talent. They’re right about the urgency of action. But they’re missing the bigger picture of what’s really coming: the great decoupling of human labor from economic value creation.
This isn’t speculation. We’re already witnessing it:
- AI is diagnosing diseases more accurately than doctors
- Language models are writing better than many professional writers
- Robots are working 24/7 in factories, never tiring, never needing breaks
But here’s what excites me: for the first time in human history, we have the opportunity to break free from the necessity of trading our time for survival. We’re not just facing job displacement — we’re facing the potential for unprecedented human freedom.
The Great Decoupling
I borrow this phrase from Dave Shapiro — the “great decoupling” nails it. We are entering an age where human labor becomes increasingly disconnected from economic value creation. This transition will be more profound than the Industrial Revolution. Why? Because this time, we’re not just augmenting human labor — we’re replacing the need for it entirely in many areas.
The numbers tell the story:
- Only 21% of people are engaged and productive at their jobs (Gallup, 2023)
- This accounts for almost $2 trillion lost globally
- Over 60% of people report being completely emotionally detached at work
- 19% classify themselves as completely miserable
We’re running on an economic operating system that wasn’t designed for the AI age. And while OpenAI’s blueprint addresses important aspects of AI development and deployment, it doesn’t tackle this fundamental shift in how value will be created and distributed in a post-labor economy.
Four Pillars of the Post-Labor Economy
Here’s what I believe we need to build. ASAP:
1. Default Decentralization
Imagine economic decisions pushed to the local level, where artificial general intelligence (AGI) powers decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) that run everything from school districts to city planning — more efficiently and transparently than any human bureaucracy ever could.
This isn’t just about moving power away from centralized institutions; it’s about creating intelligent, adaptive systems that can respond to local needs in real-time.
Picture AGI-powered DAOs that:
- Optimize resource allocation based on real-time community needs
- Automatically adjust local economic policies based on changing conditions
- Enable communities to vote directly on economic initiatives through smart contracts
- Create self-regulating markets that prevent manipulation and abuse
The key is that these systems would operate autonomously but with complete transparency and community oversight. No more backroom deals or opaque decision-making — just pure, data-driven efficiency serving community needs.
2. Radical Transparency
Every economic transaction, every decision made by AI systems, every flow of value — all of it visible and verifiable by anyone. This is possible on the chain. I’m a big fan of the blockchain because it IS this foundational integrity-based system. I filmed a video about the chain, at the risk of being a “crypto bro,” lol:
This is going to require creating trust in a new economic system. But the benefits are HUGE. Think beyond simple transaction records... I’m talking about:
- Real-time visualization of value flows throughout the economy
- AI-generated explanations for every economic decision
- Public audit trails for all automated systems
- Immutable records of all resource allocations
- Complete visibility into how AI systems make economic decisions
This level of transparency would make corruption nearly impossible and enable unprecedented levels of economic education and participation. When everyone can see exactly how the economy works, they can participate more effectively.
3. Direct Value Flows
Goodbye, useless, time-wasting unnecessary intermediaries. 😅
In a post-labor economy, we can connect the creators directly with beneficiaries, allow wealth to circulate within communities, and simplify value chains in ways that were impossible before blockchain and cryptocurrency.
This revolutionizes how value moves through the economy:
- Smart contracts automatically execute agreements without middlemen
- Value creators receive immediate compensation for their contributions
- Communities can create their own circular economies
- Resources flow directly to where they’re needed most
- Automated systems optimize distribution paths in real-time
Imagine an artist instantly receiving payment when someone views their work, or a community directly benefiting from local resource use without corporate intermediaries. No banks requiring holidays and weekends “off” to cash your check–the money you already own, but can’t access. That’s the power of direct value flows.
4. Universal Economic Agency
Let’s go beyond universal basic income — let’s think universal opportunity for wealth creation.
How? This is where tokenization comes in, and it’s the piece that could make everything else work.
This principle goes far beyond simple income redistribution. It’s about giving everyone the tools and opportunities to participate in wealth creation:
- Universal access to investment opportunities through tokenization
- AI-powered financial advisors available to everyone
- Automated portfolio management that optimizes for individual goals
- Equal access to economic information and insights
- Direct participation in value creation through distributed ownership
The goal is to move from an economy where wealth creates wealth to one where everyone has genuine opportunities to participate in value creation. We’re not just giving people fish or teaching them to fish — we’re giving them ownership of the lake.
The Tokenization Solution
Here’s where it gets interesting.
Currently, only about 8,000 companies are publicly traded. That means 99% of businesses can’t even be invested in. But through blockchain technology and tokenization, we could fragment ownership of AI-driven productivity and distribute it back to humanity.
Imagine if:
- Every small business could be invested in
- Communities could own local resources
- Value creators could capture their worth directly
- Everyone could participate in the ownership economy
We’re not talking about taking from the rich or artificially propping up the poor. My argument is about creating new wealth through automation and ensuring everyone has the opportunity to benefit from it.
Instead of making humans passive, dependent recipients of UBI, we could make them active participants in the new economy.
Building the Future Now
The technology for much of this already exists. We need:
- Blockchain-based economic platforms
- Updated legal frameworks
- Local economic sovereignty
- Transparent governance tools
- Automated value distribution systems
We can start with local experiments, measure results, and scale what works. Through the power of automation and AI, we have the chance to build an economic structure that doesn’t concentrate wealth but distributes opportunity.
Beyond the Blueprint
OpenAI’s blueprint is a start, even if Altman going to Washington to talk about making sure AI stays out of the hands of the autocrats feels a little hypocritical 😅 ; but the real revolution will come when we embrace the post-labor economy and build systems that turn technological productivity into universal prosperity.
This isn’t about protecting jobs or redistributing wealth — it’s about reimagining what’s possible. The future of wealth doesn’t have to be concentrated. It can work for everyone. But only if we start building for it now.
If you’re working in AI and you’re not thinking about these questions, you’re not thinking big enough. We need your voice in this conversation. How do you envision the post-labor economy? What systems do you think we need to build?
The future of abundance for all isn’t waiting for us to be ready. I believe we’ve got to start building it now.
