Extropic Founder Beff Jezos: Compute Tokens Should Be Issued Instead of Cash UBI
Beff Jezos, founder of Extropic, proposed the concept of "Universal Basic Compute (UBC)" and believes that distributing AI compute power or tokens to individuals is more efficient and future-compatible than cash-based Universal Basic Income (UBI).
This viewpoint comes from his public statements, with the core logic being that in an AI-dominated production environment, compute power itself will become a key production resource. Directly allocating compute usage rights allows individuals to participate in value creation more effectively than distributing currency.
Similar discussions have been gaining traction in English-speaking tech and policy circles in recent years, including AI compute subsidies, model access rights allocation, and the institutional design of "compute as a public resource," all pointing to a shift in production factors from capital and labor to computing power.
Source: Public Information
ABAB AI Insight
"Universal Basic Compute" essentially redefines the object of distribution. Historically, UBI addresses "income distribution," predicated on labor being the primary source of production; however, in an AI-driven system, the core variables of the production function shift to compute power and models, with currency being a result rather than a starting point. Directly allocating compute power embeds individuals in the production process rather than redistributing profits afterward.
This reflects a substitution and rearrangement of production factors. In traditional economies, capital owns machines, and labor provides time; in AI systems, compute power and models become the new "machines," highly concentrated in a few companies and nations. Without addressing this layer of distribution, UBI may only compensate at the outcome level without altering the trend of concentrated production rights.
However, compute power distribution faces stronger institutional and technical constraints. Compute power is not a homogeneous resource; its value depends on model access, data, and usage capabilities, meaning that "issuing tokens" does not automatically translate into productivity and may further entrench platform dependency. Those who control model interfaces still hold actual power.
In the longer term, this discussion signifies a shift in distribution logic from "monetary fiscal issues" to "infrastructure distribution issues." Similar to how electricity and internet bandwidth were once viewed as public goods, compute power may enter the same trajectory in the future. However, before it becomes public, ownership and pricing power remain highly concentrated, which will be the core of the next phase of institutional contention.