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Don’t listen to the other comments here, your question was a valid one. You could expand on the thought by asking who gets paid in the first place. If AI becomes AGI which becomes sentient, should that entity not get paid for the work they produce? Then I could see it paying taxes. Would it then have to pay rent to live in the computer provided it? I think yes. The key here is to consider that using this approach to AI autonomy could help constrain the reckless pursuits we are seeing today.
It’s just computers, you fools. If a tractor replaces workers, does it pay taxes? Nonsense. The person receiving the income pays taxes.
Actually in many states in localities there is an equipment tax, so yes, in a way taxes are paid on the equipment that isn’t income.
Unless, of course, that income is in the form of increased stock value, and the owner never creates a taxable event. We will continue to be taxed on increasingly diminishing wages while wealth accumulates in the hands of those who pay no taxes.
I don’t think it’s foolish to suggest taxing the owners of these machines as way securing economic stability. Although it would be foolish to think it will happen without a real revolution.
I’m amenable to a progressive wealth tax, under which such computing infrastructure should be included.
ATM’s replaced workers. Self serve gas pumps replaced workers. Self serve checkouts replaced workers. The spinning jenny replaced workers. The light bulb replaced workers. Vending machines replaced workers. None paid taxes.
I don’t think a light bulb replaced any workers there bub. You might not be the sharpest spoon in the drawer.
There were people who went around lighting oil street lamps and stuff like that before the electric lightbulb.