Letters to the Editor: If AI is going to replace human workers, where will payroll taxes come from?

To the editor : Salesforce has eliminated 4,000 jobs because of artificial intelligence ( “Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says he cut 4,000 support roles because of AI,” Sept. 2). This means 4,000 fewer roles that would have employees paying payroll taxes to support Social Security and Medicare. The government should create legislation that makes AI “workers” pay into these social programs — in other words, have the corporations responsible for AI make up the difference.

These tech companies would still be making plenty of money. If AI “workers” are going to replace us, why should they be able to avoid paying taxes on the value they bring to their employers?

D. Anthony Peters, Laguna Beach