Automation
can only help social security. The fix would only fall short if the
yield curve for automation falls behind the yield curve for the
productivity provided by human labor (possibly from declining birth
rates).
Where would the extra dollars come from
less humans? Monetary Policy: 20 years ago, the starting salary of an
engineer hovered a little over 35k. Now, it appears it's around 90k. 2017 Engineering Salary Statistics Less humans making larger salaries, paying higher ratio of FICA taxes.
Ultimately,
this is about the ability to provide goods/services to a larger
population *not producing it. We can financially engineer a way that SS
retirees are paid whichever amount, but without the current facilities
to render goods/services behind that US $, the money will ultimately be
useless.
OT: there's no need for the concept of
taxing automation (whether software or hardware) in Social Security
discussions. Automation is actually a business expenditure and not a
taxable entity. Rather, it would reduce the taxes an entity like a
corporation would pay in the process to provide said goods/services. ie.
you wouldn't tax the robotic welding arm in an auto factory that
replaced 2 welders making 50k; but impose FICA on the human inspector of
those welds with a 100k salary.
