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Dear Readers,
What happens when machines become more productive than entire economies? This question is no longer science fiction, but is becoming a reality thanks to the latest AI breakthroughs. One particularly hot topic is the idea of a universal basic income as a buffer against the shocks that automation and AGI could trigger. Suddenly, $10,000 a month—as utopian as it sounds—seems like a serious scenario. The real question is: How can prosperity, stability, and social acceptance be combined in this new reality?
In this issue, we take a close look at which pilot projects are already providing clues—from Finland to Stockton—and how they are changing our understanding of work, security, and freedom. We also offer fresh insights into the massive investments in AI infrastructure, the role of energy as a growth constraint, and new perspectives from major players such as BlackRock. In short, it's about nothing less than the financial, technological, and social bridges to a post-AGI world. Stay tuned—the details are more exciting than any theory would suggest.
In Today’s Issue:
Is a $10,000 monthly UBI the solution to an AGI-powered future?
Wall Street just backed a new AI data center with a $22 billion loan
A new report warns of a bubble risk as Wall Street bets big on AI infrastructure
BlackRock is making a big bet that AI will be a "deflationary" force for the global economy
And more AI goodness…
All the best,
UBI as a solution for AGI?
The Takeaway
👉 In the AI debate, UBI is seen as a potential shock absorber when automation changes jobs faster than markets can react.
👉 Initial experiments (Finland, Stockton) show that UBI boosts well-being and security, albeit with mixed effects on employment.
👉 Brundage even sees scope for $10,000 per month in a highly productive AI economy – as a serious future scenario.
👉 The decisive factor will be whether politicians can make “UBI 2.0” fiscally viable and at the same time large enough to provide real security.
The debate is heating up again: former OpenAI researcher Miles Brundage considers a monthly UBI of $10,000 in an AI-driven, highly productive economy to be “feasible”—forcing us to think about pilots and macro-reality together. What exactly is this about? UBI is intended to stabilize purchasing power, cushion transitions, and enable experimentation when automation transforms roles faster than labor markets can keep up. Evidence: Finland showed little impact on employment, but significant gains in well-being and reduced bureaucracy; Stockton saw more full employment and mental relief.
At the same time, AI adoption in companies is accelerating massively—policy design is becoming an infrastructure issue. For the AI community, this means that those who scale systems must also consider demand, reskilling, and social acceptance. Optimistically, a “UBI 2.0” could accelerate the diffusion of useful AI—as a shock absorber and innovation dividend. What would a model look like that is fiscally sustainable yet large enough to provide real security?
Why it matters: AI is spreading faster than regulatory systems can respond; without buffers, there is a risk of acceptance and demand shocks. UBI variants can build bridges—but size, financing, and targeting determine their impact.
Sources:
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In The News
Five years ago the frontier of LLM math/science capabilities was 3 digit multiplication for GPT-3. Now, frontier LLM math/science capabilities are evaluated through condensed matter physics questions. Anyone who thinks AI is slowing down is fatally miscalibrated.
— #Jack Clark (#@jackclarkSF)
7:38 PM • Aug 31, 2025
🚨GLP-1 receptor agonists will transform mental health over the next five years:
» Suicide: 58% reduction
» Depression: 37% reduction
» Substance use disorder: 42% reductionn=174,000 obese adults who initiated GLP-1RAs in a target trial emulation published yesterday.
— #Robert Y. Chen (#@therealRYC)
6:00 PM • Aug 31, 2025
OpenAI is seeking to build a massive new data center in India that could mark a major step forward in Asia for its Stargate-branded artificial intelligence infrastructure push
— #Bloomberg (#@business)
5:26 AM • Sep 1, 2025
Graph of the Day
The AI Revolution is so massive that electricity prices are moving in a literal straight line higher.
Energy is the new limiting factor to AI growth.
Large loan for AI infrastructure
JPMorgan and MUFG lead a ~$22 billion consortium to finance Vantage Data Centers' “Frontier” campus in Texas; an additional ~$3 billion in equity capital (Silver Lake/DigitalBridge) is also being provided. Signal: Data centers are becoming a bankable asset class; project and private loans are moving into the spotlight. This ties up credit capacity, links tech cycles to energy/grid expansion, and makes AI capex relevant to the credit cycle. Source: Financial Times.
Securitizations are driving the boom – with the risk of a bubble
Bloomberg reports: CMBS volume backed by AI infrastructure has already risen by ~30% to $15.6 billion (vs. full year 2024). Interpretation: Securitization and private credit are financing the capex wave; interest rate/refinancing risks and concentration on a few hyperscalers are increasing. For banks/regulators, this means that stress tests must reflect data center exposures and power bottlenecks.
“Deflationary growth” through AI (investment perspective)
BlackRock sees AI as a productivity boost with margin expansion for companies with high ROE, net cash, and reinvestment flywheel; benefits logistics, healthcare, defense, among others. Asset allocation: current income in bonds, but “duration” in the equity book; the main risk is underweighting rather than overvaluation. Macro thesis: disinflationary trends could shift interest rate/valuation regimes.
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