Can Machines End Scarcity? The Hidden Power Structures That Could Hold Us Back

Imagine a world where food, shelter, and energy are no longer scarce. Machines handle farming, 3D-print homes, and provide clean energy without human labor. In this world, people wouldn’t need to work for survival but could instead focus on creativity, innovation, and self-actualization.

Technologically, this vision is becoming more feasible. AI-driven agriculture, vertical farms, lab-grown meat, automated logistics, and renewable energy breakthroughs could ensure basic needs for everyone. Housing, too, could be revolutionized by 3D-printing and AI-driven smart cities. So, if machines can take care of everything, why haven’t we moved toward this reality yet?

The answer lies not in technology, but in power structures. Even if automation makes food and shelter abundant, access to these resources would still be controlled by those in positions of economic and political power. Historically, scarcity has been a tool used by elites to maintain control. If the basic needs of the masses were effortlessly met, traditional economic structures—where people trade labor for survival—would collapse.

Who Controls the Machines?

The key question in a fully automated world isn’t can machines take care of us, but who owns the machines? If corporations and wealthy elites own the means of automated production, they would control access to these essential goods. Instead of ensuring universal access, they could monetize them, creating artificial scarcity to maintain profits and social hierarchy.

This is already evident in modern society. Technologies like automation and AI have increased efficiency and productivity, but instead of benefiting everyone, the gains are largely concentrated among a few. Wealth inequality has skyrocketed, and the benefits of automation have not been evenly distributed. If this trend continues, even a world where machines can provide for all may still be one where only a privileged few enjoy the benefits.

The Fight for Universal Access

To truly free humanity from the need to work for survival, there would need to be radical economic restructuring. Some possible solutions include:

• Universal Basic Income (UBI): Providing all citizens with a guaranteed income to ensure access to essential resources.

• Publicly Owned Automation: Ensuring that key automated industries are publicly or cooperatively owned so that their benefits are distributed fairly.

• Decentralized Resource Management: Using blockchain or decentralized AI systems to manage food, energy, and housing equitably.

Beyond economics, society would need to shift its understanding of purpose. Work has long been tied to identity and meaning. If survival is no longer a concern, how will people find fulfillment? A post-scarcity world would require redefining success—not through economic productivity but through creativity, exploration, and self-growth.

Technology can eliminate scarcity, but only if we dismantle the power structures that perpetuate artificial scarcity. The fight for a future where machines serve all of humanity, not just the wealthy few, is as much a political battle as a technological one. If we can democratize access to automated resources, we could finally move beyond survival—and into a future where people are truly free to pursue their highest potential.

At Freelife Private Equity, we are committed to solving wealth inequality through decentralized finance. By leveraging blockchain technology and innovative financial solutions, we aim to create a more equitable system where wealth and opportunity are accessible to all, not just the privileged few.