The concept of universal basic income (or UBI) - a regularly provided cash payment distributed without conditions to all individuals within a defined community - has a long history and an as yet unwritten future. As someone considered to be one of the world’s experts on the topic with
It isn’t mentioned in this article, but Chinese planning is very specific about the idea of robots taking over the economy and replacing the shrinking number of humans. Another reason for thinking UBI might work there first.
They’re not really likely to pass the West any time soon on that, though. We’re still king when it comes to high tech and innovation, just as a byproduct of accumulated institutional knowledge and an economic system that prioritises fostering innovation over almost all else.