A prominent artificial intelligence researcher has sparked controversy with the launch of a new startup that aims to completely replace human workers with AI agents across all industries.
Tamay Besiroglu, founder of AI research organization Epoch, announced his new venture Mechanize on Thursday. The startup's ambitious mission is "the full automation of all work" and "the full automation of the economy," targeting a potential global market of $60 trillion in annual wages.
While initially focusing on white-collar jobs, Mechanize plans to develop the data, evaluation tools, and digital environments needed to automate any type of work currently performed by humans. The company has attracted high-profile investors including tech leaders Patrick Collison, Jeff Dean, and others.
The announcement drew sharp criticism from experts and industry observers. Critics highlighted concerns about the societal impact of displacing human workers, as well as potential conflicts with Besiroglu's role at Epoch, which analyzes AI economic impacts and benchmarks.
"Huge respect for the founders' work at Epoch, but sad to see this," wrote Anthony Aguirre on X (formerly Twitter). "The automation of most human labor is indeed a giant prize for companies... I think it will be a huge loss for most humans."
Besiroglu defended the vision, arguing that full automation would generate "vast abundance" and higher living standards through "explosive economic growth." When questioned about income sources in a fully automated economy, he suggested people could rely on "rents, dividends, and government welfare."
While the startup's goals are extreme, it aims to address real technical challenges with current AI agents, which struggle with reliability, information retention, and complex task execution. However, Mechanize faces competition from major tech companies and numerous startups already working on AI automation solutions.
The controversy highlights growing tensions around AI's impact on employment and raises questions about the responsibilities of AI researchers pursuing potentially disruptive technologies. As the debate continues, Mechanize is actively recruiting talent to pursue its radical vision of a fully automated future.