舊金山灣區的科技業員工普遍擔憂，人工智慧的發展將創造出一個「永久的底層階級」。隨著模型逐漸逼近通用人工智慧，少數科技精英將壟斷平台、資料中心和能源等資源，而代理型人工智慧和先進機器人將取代大量現有勞動力，導致多數人面臨失業，並因為技能貶值而難以賺取體面的收入。

雖然目前的勞動市場數據尚未提供確鑿的證據，但相關研究指出，自動化可能會導致勞動市場的兩極化。具備高專業技能且能善用人工智慧的勞工將獲得大幅度的薪資增長，而從事低技術性工作的勞工則會面臨技能被機器取代的風險，進而導致薪資被壓低，加劇整體的收入不平等。

這種生產力與薪資的兩極化發展可能會帶來長期的社會影響，包括降低社會流動性以及減少對低收入族群的教育投資。儘管有人認為人工智慧將降低商品價格並使消費者受益，但決策者仍應未雨綢繆，積極強化社會安全網，以應對資源分配不均的問題並防範經濟差距進一步擴大。

Tech employees in the San Francisco Bay Area are widely concerned that the development of AI will create a "permanent underclass." As models approach artificial general intelligence, a small tech elite will monopolize resources such as platforms, data centers, and energy, while agentic AI and advanced robotics will replace a massive amount of the existing workforce, causing the majority to face unemployment and struggle to earn a decent income as their skills devalue.

Although current labor market data has not yet provided conclusive evidence, relevant research indicates that automation could lead to a bifurcated labor market. Workers with high professional skills who can effectively utilize AI will experience massive wage growth, whereas workers in low-skill jobs will face the risk of having their skills replaced by machines, pushing down wages and exacerbating overall income inequality.

This polarized development of productivity and wages could have long-term societal impacts, including reducing social mobility and decreasing educational investment in low-income populations. Although some argue that AI will lower commodity prices and benefit consumers, policymakers should still take proactive measures and actively strengthen the social safety net to address the uneven distribution of resources and prevent economic disparity from further widening.