Bill Gates Renews Call for 'Robot Tax' to Equalize AI and Human Labor

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has reiterated his proposal to tax robots at the same rate as human workers to maintain tax revenue and social safety nets in the AI era. During an interview on the Ezra Klein Podcast, Gates suggested defining a 'unit of labor' and applying the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) tax regardless of whether the work is performed by a human or an automated system. Gates first introduced the concept of a robot tax in 2016, arguing that automation could displace human jobs and erode the tax base. His latest proposal comes as U.S. lawmakers simultaneously advance discussions on cryptocurrency taxation, highlighting a broader shift in fiscal policy toward emerging technologies.