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After spending years funding one of the most high-profile universal basic income experiments, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman now says the idea falls short of what the future will demand.<\/p>\n
\u201cI no longer believe in universal basic income as much as I once did,\u201d Altman said in a recent interview<\/a> with The Atlantic. \u201cI\u2019m much more interested in ways where we think about kind of collective ownership.\u201d<\/p>\n That marks a notable shift from someone who helped back a $14 million study<\/a> through OpenResearch in 2020 to test whether giving people free money would reduce their motivation to work.<\/p>\n Don’t Miss:<\/p>\n The results didn\u2019t match the usual fears. But Altman\u2019s own thinking has moved beyond the original premise.<\/p>\n UBI Didn\u2019t Kill Work Ethic <\/p>\n The three-year study<\/a> gave 1,000 low-income adults $1,000 a month, while a control group of 2,000 people received just $50. Researchers expected to see whether steady cash would reduce motivation to work.<\/p>\n Instead, they found something different.<\/p>\n Participants actually reported valuing work more. Belief in the importance of work rose slightly, and many agreed with statements like \u201cwork is a duty toward society\u201d and \u201cpeople who don\u2019t work turn lazy.\u201d<\/p>\n At the same time, people worked fewer hours on average. But that didn\u2019t mean they stopped working. Many used the financial cushion to make better decisions about their careers.<\/p>\n Trending: Think the biggest tech gains happen after an IPO? Click here to see why some investors are looking at opportunities before companies go public.<\/a><\/p>\n Some went back to school. Others pursued certifications or switched into jobs with more long-term potential. One participant said the extra money allowed her to take a temporary pay cut for a role with better growth opportunities. \u201cIf I didn\u2019t have that money, there is no way I could have taken that pay cut,\u201d the participant said.<\/p>\n Researchers concluded the drop in hours wasn’t about laziness. It was about flexibility.<\/p>\n People still wanted to work. Many said unemployment brought feelings of guilt or frustration, and they viewed work as essential to independence and self-reliance.<\/p>\n Why Altman Is Moving Beyond UBI <\/p>\n Even with those results, Altman believes UBI alone won\u2019t be enough in a world shaped by artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n \u201cI think any version of the future that I can get really excited about means that everybody\u2019s got to participate in the upside,\u201d he told The Atlantic. \u201cAnd I think just like a fixed cash payment, although useful and maybe a good idea in some ways, does not get it what we\u2019re really going to need for this next phase.\u201d<\/p>\n See Also: You Saved for Retirement \u2014 But Do You Know What You’ll Keep After Taxes?<\/a><\/p>\n Instead, Altman is focused on ideas like shared ownership, whether through equity, access to computing power or other ways for people to benefit directly from AI-driven growth<\/a>.<\/p>\n His concern is that AI could result in a small number of companies capturing most of the gains<\/a> if access remains limited. \u201cIf it\u2019s limited and hard to use and not well integrated, then the kind of existing rich people<\/a> are going to bid up the price and it\u2019s going to lead to further stratification,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The UBI study suggests people don\u2019t lose their drive when given financial stability. But Altman\u2019s latest thinking points to a different challenge: making sure everyone has a stake in the economic upside of AI.<\/p>\n The Debate Over Who Owns the Upside of AI <\/p>\n Altman’s shift away from universal basic income highlights a broader question emerging alongside the rise of AI: how individuals participate in the economic value being created. While fixed cash payments address income stability, they don’t necessarily give people exposure to long-term wealth creation tied to innovation and productivity gains.<\/p>\n That’s part of why some investors are focusing more on ownership-based strategies rather than income transfers alone. Platforms like Public<\/a> allow individuals to invest in stocks and ETFs within a single account, giving them direct exposure to companies driving technological change, including the AI sector. Instead of relying solely on redistribution models, this approach is centered on participating in market growth as it happens.<\/p>\n Read Next: More Than Half of Americans Aren’t Prepared for Retirement \u2014 Including 62% of Gen Y<\/a><\/p>\n Building Wealth Across More Than Just the Market <\/p>\n Building a resilient portfolio means thinking beyond a single asset or market trend. Economic cycles shift, sectors rise and fall, and no one investment performs well in every environment. That’s why many investors look to diversify with platforms that provide access to real estate, fixed-income opportunities, professional financial guidance, precious metals, and even self-directed retirement accounts. By spreading exposure across multiple asset classes, it becomes easier to manage risk, capture steady returns, and create long-term wealth that isn’t tied to the fortunes of just one company or industry.<\/p>\n Connect Invest<\/p>\n Connect Invest is a real estate investment platform that allows investors to access short-term, fixed-income opportunities backed by a diversified portfolio of residential and commercial real estate loans.<\/a> Through its Short Notes structure, investors can choose defined terms (6, 12, or 24 months) and earn monthly interest payments while gaining exposure to real estate as an asset class. For investors focused on diversification, Connect Invest may serve as one component within a broader portfolio that also includes traditional equities, fixed income, and other alternative assets\u2014helping balance exposure across different risk and return profiles.<\/p>\n Mode Mobile<\/p>\n Mode Mobile is changing the way people interact with their phones by letting users earn money from the same apps and activities they already use every day<\/a>. Instead of platforms keeping all the advertising revenue, Mode Mobile shares a portion back with users who engage with content, play games, and scroll on their devices. Named one of Deloitte’s fastest-growing software companies in North America, the company has built a large beta user base and is scaling a model that turns everyday smartphone usage into a potential income stream. For investors, Mode Mobile offers exposure to the expanding mobile advertising and attention economy through a pre-IPO opportunity tied to a new approach to user monetization.<\/p>\n rHealth<\/p>\n rHealth is building a space-tested diagnostics platform designed to bring lab-quality blood testing closer to patients in minutes rather than weeks<\/a>. Originally validated in collaboration with NASA for use aboard the International Space Station, the technology is now being adapted for at-home and point-of-care settings to address widespread delays in diagnostic access.<\/p>\n Backed by institutions including NASA and the NIH, rHealth is targeting the large global diagnostics market with a multi-test platform and a model built around devices, consumables, and software. With FDA registration in progress, the company is positioning itself as a potential shift toward faster, more decentralized healthcare testing.<\/p>\n Direxion<\/p>\n Direxion specializes in leveraged and inverse ETFs designed to help active traders express short-term market views during periods of volatility and major market events.<\/a> Rather than long-term investing, these products are built for tactical use\u2014allowing investors to take magnified bullish or bearish positions across indices, sectors, and single stocks. For experienced traders, Direxion offers a way to respond quickly to changing market conditions and act on high-conviction views with greater flexibility.<\/p>\n Immersed<\/p>\n Immersed is a spatial computing company building immersive productivity software that enables users to work across multiple virtual screens inside VR and mixed-reality environments.<\/a> Its platform is used by remote workers and enterprises to create virtual workspaces that reduce reliance on traditional physical hardware while improving focus and collaboration. The company is also developing its own lightweight VR headset and AI productivity tools, positioning itself in the future-of-work and spatial computing space. Through its pre-IPO offering, Immersed is opening access to early-stage investors looking to diversify beyond traditional assets and gain exposure to emerging technologies shaping how people work.<\/p>\n Arrived<\/p>\n Backed by Jeff Bezos, Arrived Homes makes real estate investing accessible with a low barrier to entry. Investors can buy fractional shares of single-family rentals and vacation homes starting with as little as $100<\/a>. This allows everyday investors to diversify into real estate, collect rental income, and build long-term wealth without needing to manage properties directly.<\/p>\n Masterworks<\/p>\n Masterworks enables investors to diversify into blue-chip art, an alternative asset class with historically low correlation to stocks and bonds.<\/a> Through fractional ownership of museum-quality works by artists like Banksy, Basquiat, and Picasso, investors gain access without the high costs or complexities of owning art outright. With hundreds of offerings and strong historical exits on select works, Masterworks adds a scarce, globally traded asset to portfolios seeking long-term diversification.<\/p>\n Public<\/p>\n Public is a multi-asset investing platform built for long-term investors who want more control, transparency, and innovation in how they grow wealth.<\/a> Founded in 2019 as the first broker-dealer to offer commission-free, real-time fractional investing, Public now lets users invest in stocks, bonds, options, crypto, and more\u2014all in one place. Its latest feature, Generated Assets, uses AI to turn a single idea into a fully customized, investable index that can be explained and backtested before committing capital. Combined with AI-powered research tools, clear explanations of market moves, and an uncapped 1% match for transferring an existing portfolio, Public positions itself as a modern platform designed to help serious investors make more informed decisions with context.<\/p>\n AdviserMatch<\/p>\n AdviserMatch is a free online tool that helps individuals connect with financial advisors based on their goals, financial situation, and investment needs<\/a>. Instead of spending hours researching advisors on your own, the platform asks a few quick questions and matches you with professionals who can assist with areas like retirement planning, investment strategy, and overall financial guidance. Consultations are no-obligation, and services vary by advisor, giving investors a chance to explore whether professional advice could help improve their long-term financial plan.<\/p>\n Accredited Debt Relief<\/p>\n Accredited Debt Relief is a debt consolidation company focused on helping consumers reduce and manage unsecured debt through structured programs and personalized solutions<\/a>. Having supported more than 1 million clients and helped resolve over $3 billion in debt, the company operates within the growing consumer debt relief industry, where demand continues to rise alongside record household debt levels. Its process includes a quick qualification survey, personalized program matching, and ongoing support, with eligible clients potentially reducing monthly payments by 40% or more. With industry recognition, an A+ BBB rating, and multiple customer service awards, Accredited Debt Relief positions itself as a data-driven, client-focused option for individuals seeking a more manageable path toward becoming debt-free.<\/p>\n Finance Advisors<\/p>\n Finance Advisors helps Americans approach retirement with greater clarity by connecting them to vetted, fiduciary financial advisors who specialize in tax-aware retirement planning.<\/a> Rather than focusing on products or investment performance alone, the platform emphasizes strategies that account for after-tax income, withdrawal sequencing, and long-term tax efficiency\u2014factors that can materially impact retirement outcomes. Free to use, Finance Advisors gives individuals with meaningful savings access to a level of planning sophistication historically reserved for high-net-worth households, helping reduce hidden tax risk and improve long-term financial confidence.<\/p>\n Image: Shutterstock<\/p>\n This article Sam Altman Put $14M Into Studying Universal Basic Income. Now Says It’s Useful, But Not ‘What We’re Really Going To Need For This Next Phase’<\/a> originally appeared on Benzinga.com<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a9 2026 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. 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