Guarding Against an ‘i’-Shaped Society and the Social Risks of Unchecked AI Advancement

The rapid advance of artificial intelligence is transforming nearly every aspect of modern society, from the way we work to how we communicate, produce goods, and organize our lives. Yet, in the midst of this technological revolution, we must pause to consider the shape of the society we are creating—lest we find ourselves in an “i”-shaped world, where a thin and exclusive tier at the top controls nearly all wealth, while a broad base struggles to participate meaningfully in the economy or to achieve fundamental aspirations such as homeownership.

When we speak of an “i”-shaped society, we conjure the image of a tall, narrow column: a very thin dot at the top, representing those who possess extraordinary economic power, and a vast, undifferentiated lower base whose members have little opportunity for upward mobility. Unlike a healthy hourglass or diamond shape, where opportunity and prosperity are distributed more broadly, the “i” shape is synonymous with severe inequality and the risk of a permanent underclass.

This is not mere speculation. The risks are real—and they are already emerging. As AI-driven automation and data concentration increase, so too does the power of those who own the algorithms, the infrastructure, and the data necessary to train and deploy artificial intelligence. Left unchecked, these dynamics threaten to push us toward a society where a handful of people and companies accumulate unprecedented wealth, while the majority experience stagnation or even decline in their material well-being.

AI’s potential to deliver immense value is undeniable, but the way this value is distributed is far from guaranteed. The current trajectory favors those with access to capital, technical know-how, and control over the digital infrastructure. AI systems are expensive to develop and deploy; they require massive datasets and computational resources, both of which are out of reach for most individuals and even many enterprises. As a result, a small cadre of technology companies and their stakeholders have become the primary beneficiaries. This concentration of wealth is not just a matter of the rich getting richer. AI enables new forms of productivity and efficiency, but these gains increasingly accrue to those who are already at the top of the economic pyramid. As AI takes over tasks once performed by humans, especially those that are routine or repetitive—large segments of the population may find their jobs disappearing, wages stagnating, and economic agency slipping away.

Historically, wage growth and upward mobility for middle- and working-class individuals have depended on the ability of workers to negotiate for a fair share of productivity gains. In an AI-driven economy, this relationship is at risk of breaking down. If machines perform the bulk of productive labor, and if ownership of those machines is concentrated in private hands, then the link between work and reward is severed. This disconnect erodes the foundation of a healthy society, where individuals expect that hard work and skill will be rewarded, and where there is a tangible path to betterment. If most people are relegated to precarious, low-paying service jobs or find themselves entirely excluded from the productive economy, the result is the emergence of a permanent underclass which represents an outcome fundamentally at odds with the principles of fairness and shared prosperity let alone our Jewish values.

One of the starkest consequences of an “i”-shaped society is the decoupling of salary from the most basic markers of stability and inclusion, such as homeownership. For much of the twentieth century, steady employment and rising wages made it possible for many to buy homes, build wealth, and participate in the broader project of societal growth. Yet, as income growth for average workers has stagnated—while costs for housing, education, and healthcare soar—the dream of homeownership has become increasingly out of reach. AI, if not thoughtfully integrated, could accelerate these trends by further suppressing wages and increasing the premium on highly specialized skills. When the relationship between salary and affordability is severed, society divides into those who own and those who perpetually rent, those who participate in wealth creation and those who do not. Homeownership is not only a means of building equity, but also a signal of social stability and an anchor for civic participation. The risk is that entire generations will be shut out of this fundamental rite of passage further fueling resentment, social fragmentation, and a sense of futility.

Perhaps even more insidious than the concentration of wealth is the narrowing of opportunities to meaningfully participate in production. In an AI-dominated economy, value creation becomes the province of a technical elite: those who design the algorithms, interpret the data, and control the infrastructure. In simplest terms, if society fails to create avenues for broad participation in the new economy—through education, access to technology, and support for entrepreneurship—the overwhelming majority will be left out. They may consume the products of AI, but they will not participate in their creation, nor will they share in the benefits.

Work is not merely a means of survival; it is a source of purpose, dignity, and connection. The creation of a permanent underclass, deprived of meaningful work or advancement, risks fueling alienation, political instability, and the rise of destructive ideologies. 

As members of civil society, the choices we make today about technology, policy, and social structure will indeed shape the contours of our society for generations. If we allow AI to reinforce existing inequalities, we risk waking up in a world where opportunity is a memory and democracy is a facade. Beyond the economic consequences, exclusion from productive activity has deep psychological and social costs. Work is not merely a means of survival; it is a source of purpose, dignity, and connection. The creation of a permanent underclass, deprived of meaningful work or advancement, risks fueling alienation, political instability, and the rise of destructive ideologies. In the very near future when the effects of AI on the labor market can no longer be relegated to future discussion, we will come to the inevitable crossroads of which team we will align with and as they say, there is no “i” in team.

Lisa Ansell is the Associate Director of the USC Casden Institute and Lecturer of Hebrew Language at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Los Angeles.