A well-known artificial intelligence researcher has sparked outrage after launching a startup that wants to automate all jobs everywhere. If that sounds like science fiction, think again. You’re now witnessing one of the boldest—and most controversial—startups to come out of Silicon Valley recently.
Tamay Besiroglu, a respected AI expert and founder of Epoch’s nonprofit research group, recently introduced a new company called Mechanize. On June 6, he announced the startup via a post on X (formerly Twitter), explaining that the company’s mission is to automate all jobs and even the entire economy fully.
Yay just what I wanted for my bday: a comms crisis
— Jaime Sevilla (@Jsevillamol) April 18, 2025
In his post, Besiroglu explained that Mechanize will create the tools, data, and digital environments needed to train AI agents that can do any job humans can. The startup’s vision is as ambitious as provocative: complete labour automation across the globe.
Why the backlash has been so strong
The announcement was met with sharp criticism, mainly because of Besiroglu’s connection to Epoch, which is known for producing high-quality, independent research on AI’s impact on the economy. Many felt this new venture conflicted with the values of his nonprofit.
One of Epoch’s directors even jokingly posted, “Yay, just what I wanted for my bday: a comms crisis,” acknowledging the storm the announcement had caused.
Yay just what I wanted for my bday: a comms crisis
— Jaime Sevilla (@Jsevillamol) April 18, 2025
Critics have pointed out that while the idea of total automation may appeal to tech leaders and investors, it raises serious ethical questions. A user on X, Anthony Aguirre, summed up the concern by saying, “I have huge respect for the founders’ work at Epoch, but I am sad to see this… I think it will be a huge loss for most humans.”
Huge respect for the founders’ work at Epoch, but sad to see this. The automation of most human labor is indeed a giant prize for companies, which is why many of the biggest companies on Earth are already pursuing it. I think it will be a huge loss for most humans, as well as…
— Anthony Aguirre (@AnthonyNAguirre) April 17, 2025
Besiroglu calculated Mechanize’s potential market by estimating the total value of wages paid to workers. He says US workers earn around US$18 trillion annually, while global earnings exceed US$60 trillion. He believes replacing human work with AI agents could open up a market of that size—one of the biggest in history.
Still, he clarified that Mechanize focuses on automating white-collar jobs rather than manual labour, which would require physical robots.
AI agents vs human workers
Much of the debate around Mechanize centres on whether full job automation would benefit people. Besiroglu argues that if done correctly, it could lead to “explosive economic growth” and higher living standards. He even published a paper arguing that complete automation could produce goods and services we haven’t yet imagined.
But critics say this vision leaves out a key issue: if people don’t have jobs, how will they afford these new goods and services?
Besiroglu addresses this by saying wages could still rise for jobs where humans outperform AI, and income could also come from rent, dividends, and government benefits. However, he also admits that Mechanize’s ultimate goal is to replace all work with AI agents.
This raises questions about how the economy would function. Would governments tax AI agents to fund welfare? Would we all become landlords and shareholders instead of workers?
Although Besiroglu paints a future of economic abundance, he also points out that current AI agents aren’t up to the task yet. He says they’re unreliable and forgetful and struggle to complete tasks or follow long-term plans without making mistakes.
Who’s supporting the idea?
Despite the controversy, Mechanize has attracted support from big names in the tech world. Investors include Nat Friedman, Daniel Gross, Patrick Collison, Dwarkesh Patel, Jeff Dean, Sholto Douglas, and Marcus Abramovitch.
While some declined to comment, Abramovitch confirmed his support, saying the team “has thought deeper on AI than anyone I know.” He is a managing partner at AltX, a crypto hedge fund, and describes himself as an “effective altruist.”
Still, many are wary of what Mechanize could mean for society. It’s not the first time Besiroglu’s work has raised eyebrows. In December, his research group Epoch was criticised for not being upfront about its ties to OpenAI after it was revealed that OpenAI had supported the creation of one of Epoch’s AI performance benchmarks.
This latest move has led some to wonder whether Mechanize is part of a larger trend where AI research is increasingly linked to powerful companies and money-making ventures.
For now, Mechanize is just getting started. But if it succeeds in its mission, it could change how we all live and work—whether we like it or not.
