Engels' Pause and the Permanent Underclass (www.fabricatedknowledge.com)

A new AI model dubbed Mythos has sparked significant discussion within the AI/ML community, as it demonstrates the ability to identify critical zero-day vulnerabilities in software at an unprecedented scale. This advancement raises alarm about the potential for displacement of human cybersecurity researchers, echoing historical patterns seen during the Industrial Revolution, specifically a phenomenon referred to as "Engels' Pause." This term, coined by economist Robert C. Allen, describes a period when technological advancements led to economic growth, yet stagnated wages for the working class—a scenario that may now threaten the "information artisan" class, which encompasses approximately 70.7 million high-skilled professionals in the U.S. The implications of Mythos are profound: as AI continues to improve, it is likely that roles in fields such as financial analysis, legal document review, and data processing will face significant disruption due to the enhanced efficiency of AI over traditional human labor. While lower-skilled positions may benefit from rising average wages due to AI adoption, the displacement of higher-wage jobs poses a serious risk. This scenario suggests that we might enter a new "Engels' Pause" where the returns from AI technology disproportionately favor capital over labor, potentially leading to a permanent underclass of displaced workers and a dramatic shift in the nature of work in the coming decades.