过去的技术变革虽然消灭了特定职位，但通常会创造出更多新的就业机会；然而，随著人工智慧与机器人技术的飞速进展，未来许多被认为具备防御性的工作也可能面临被取代的风险。面对这种转变，比尔·盖兹等人提出保留部分专属于人类的工作岗位，而另一种观点则主张透过全民基本收入（UBI）等现金转移支付手段，让社会过渡到以休闲为主的型态。

从已开发国家长期推行的国家退休金制度来看，这种形式类似于实际运行的基本收入，它揭示了人们在获得无条件收入保障后并不会单纯沉溺于安逸。许多退休人员依然选择透过有薪工作或投入照护、社区服务等无偿志愿活动来维持社会连结；反之，若缺乏任何形式的劳动与目标，失去工作的心理代价将会显现，甚至可能促使个体沉迷于极端意识形态。

在AI时代，更优渥的社会福利体系固然能维持生活水准，但「工作」所带来的心理健康与社会意义依然不可或缺，尤其是缺乏工作目标的年轻世代更易受极端思想影响。因此，未来的政策制定必须在机器自动化带来的经济效益，与保障人类从工作中所获得的社会价值之间取得平衡，这也支持了设定人类保留职位的必要性。

Previous technological disruptions eliminated specific jobs but created new employment opportunities; however, rapid advancements in artificial intelligence and robotics now threaten even roles once considered safe from automation. In response, proposals range from Bill Gates's suggestion of legally reserving certain jobs exclusively for humans to transitioning society toward leisure supported by cash transfers and universal basic income (UBI).

Evidence from state pension systems across developed nations, which function much like real-world unconditional basic income trials, shows that people do not simply settle into passive leisure when provided financial support. Many pensioners continue working or engage in unpaid voluntary labor and community roles to maintain purpose, while those completely detached from work face psychological tolls and a heightened risk of falling into extreme ideologies.

While generous welfare policies will be essential to provide a decent standard of living in an automated world, meaningful work remains vital for psychological well-being, particularly for younger demographics vulnerable to radicalization. Consequently, future policymakers must weigh the economic gains of machine automation against the profound social benefits of human employment, justifying the argument for human-reserved roles.