OpenAI has laid out a vision for how the global economy should adapt to superintelligent AI, giving SME owners the clearest picture yet of how the technology will transform their businesses and the global workforce.
In a 13-page paper titled Industrial Policy for the Intelligence Age, the creator of ChatGPT calls for 4-day workweeks, taxes on robot labour, wage-linked retraining incentives and a shift in the tax base away from payroll. The paper frames its proposals as “intentionally early and exploratory,” but its central argument is that AI’s economic benefits should flow to people, not just to the companies building the technology.
Whether or not these specific ideas become law, they are shaping the conversation with policymakers and flag to SME owners that gains from AI adoption may need to be shared with workers and the public.
Why an AI Company Is Proposing Economic Reform
As a private company, OpenAI can’t legislate. But its paper argues that governments should take action on policy – urgently – before the economic benefits of AI lock in permanently among a handful of companies, OpenAI among them.
The paper states that superintelligent AI, which it defines as ‘AI systems capable of outperforming the smartest humans even when they are assisted by AI,’ could arrive within the current decade. It says this will fundamentally reshape labour markets, wealth distribution and the relationship between employers and employees. Its authors argue that without deliberate action, the transition will create enormous wealth for a few while leaving other businesses and their workers behind.
OpenAI is not alone in making this case. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has made similar public calls for governments to plan for large-scale economic shifts driven by AI. Amodei has warned that the disruption to white-collar work will be faster and broader than any previous labour market shock, and that governments must intervene before it arrives.
Four Proposals That Would Reshape Work
The paper provides government with four key policy priorities.
The 4-Day Workweek
Most fundamental is a headline-grabbing proposal for a pilot program for 32-hour, or 4-day, workweeks at full pay. Under the model described, businesses would trial a four-day week and if productivity holds, the shorter schedule would become permanent. The paper positions this as a way to distribute AI-driven productivity gains to workers through time rather than just wages. For SME employers already running lean teams, this raises immediate questions about rostering and whether the same output is genuinely achievable in fewer hours.
The Robot Tax
The second proposal is a tax on automated labour. The paper argues that as AI systems perform more tasks previously done by humans, a new tax mechanism will be needed to make up for the reduction in income tax and payroll tax revenue. The new revenue stream would flow into a proposed public wealth fund, designed to redistribute gains from AI concentration to the broader population. SMEs that are still cautious about AI adoption may see possible higher taxes as a disincentive to be weighed up against benefits like productivity gains.
Retraining Incentives
The paper proposes that governments should spend the robot tax on wage-based retraining incentives. The idea is that businesses experiencing productivity gains would contribute to a pool that supports displaced or upskilled workers, with governments handling the distribution of these wage top-ups.
There’s also a recommendation for some of the revenue raised should be awarded as grants or financing to small businesses to further enhance AI integration and level the playing field. The paper suggests unions could serve as ‘enablers’ by offering training and helping workers negotiate contracts.
Shift The Tax Base
Potentially most significant for payroll-heavy SMEs is a proposed shift in the tax base from payroll taxes to corporate income and capital gains. The paper argues that taxing employment directly discourages hiring, and that a tax system built around capital gains would better reflect an economy where machines generate an increasing share of output. For businesses where payroll tax represents a meaningful cost, this would be a meaningful shift.
Workers Would Get a Formal Say in AI Deployment
Beyond tax and working hour changes, the paper proposes giving employees a seat at the table in deciding how AI is used in their workplace. This includes input on where AI is deployed first and how its introduction affects workloads, autonomy and pay. It envisions a model where workers are consulted before AI tools change their roles, rather than being informed after the fact.
For SME owners, this signals a potential shift in workplace consultation obligations. Businesses in Australia are already navigating consultation requirements under the Fair Work Act 2009 when introducing major workplace changes. A formalised requirement to consult on AI deployment would extend those obligations further.
OpenAI’s paper is explicitly focused on the United States, but it calls for global solutions rather than the current patchwork of national responses. 4-day workweek trials have already been conducted in the UK, AI governance consultations are active in Australia and across the OECD, and the ACTU has advocated for reduced working hours locally. On AI safety, the paper calls for auditing standards to be designed for international adoption from the outset – explicitly to avoid fragmenting compliance requirements for small businesses operating across borders.
How SME Owners Can Start Preparing
While OpenAI’s proposals are still thought bubbles, the direction of conversation is clear enough for forward-thinking business owners to act.
SMEs can prepare for AI-driven workforce changes by auditing where work is already being affected. Identifying which tasks are faster, cheaper or more productive because of AI helps businesses anticipate how roles might evolve, where staff may need training and which positions could require new skills. Thinking ahead about how productivity gains are shared – whether through shorter hours, better pay or enhanced benefits – can also help maintain morale and engagement as work changes.
Another key step is to engage employees in discussions about technology adoption. Consulting teams on workflow changes, automation or new tools ensures that staff feel involved rather than sidelined.
The proposals in OpenAI’s paper may never become policy in their current form. But the conversations they raise – about who benefits from AI, how work is structured and what obligations employers carry – are just beginning.
