Karp believes AI will improve the lives of many people, but warned that the biggest winners could become 10 to 100 times richer than they are today while most people see much smaller financial gains. He called the growing wealth gap “the biggest problem” facing the United States.
He also said many Americans are worried about AI because the leaders building the technology have openly warned that it could replace millions of jobs. According to Karp, those same executives are becoming much wealthier while ordinary workers fear for their future.
Karp criticized parts of the AI industry for failing to earn the public’s trust, saying companies should focus more on helping workers and local communities instead of only talking about the technology’s benefits.
Despite his concerns, Karp said he believes AI will still improve living standards for millions of people. However, he warned that unless the economic benefits are shared more broadly, the gap between the richest people and everyone else will continue to grow.