What happens when machines perform an increasing share of our work — and citizens own part of the productive assets behind them?
The non-fiction book explains how citizen wealth could work. The novel shows what its introduction does to people.
Ownership and income in the age of artificial intelligence
The non-fiction book develops a proposal for broadly shared ownership of automated productive assets. It examines financing, governance, social protection, transition rules and the limits of the model.
German paperback · 152 pages · €19.90
ISBN 978-3-6967-8309-9
A life that belongs to us — the novel accompanying the non-fiction book
Set in Halberstadt between 2032 and 2055, the social novel follows people whose choices are shaped by work, money, family and dependence. When citizen wealth is introduced, greater security opens new paths — but it does not solve illness, loneliness or damaged relationships.
Artificial intelligence and robotics could automate a substantial part of today’s work by 2050. If income continues to depend mainly on employment, the owners of productive assets will receive an increasing share of the value created. Bürgervermögen 2050 asks whether every adult citizen could hold a protected stake in that productive foundation.
The proposal calls each person’s entitlement a Bürgeravatar, or citizen avatar. It is linked to citizenship, cannot be sold, pledged or seized, and does not necessarily correspond to one particular robot. Organisations called Bürgerwerke would pool these entitlements and manage diversified or specialised portfolios of industrial automation, computing infrastructure, logistics, mobility and other productive assets.
The model targets €1,100 per month as a tax-free citizen payment in today’s purchasing power, plus €400 for health and long-term care coverage. Affordable basic mobility is addressed separately. These figures are model targets, not guaranteed returns.
Employment, entrepreneurship and private ownership remain possible. Additional income does not reduce the citizen payment, although it is generally taxable. The proposal is therefore not an argument for ending work or abolishing private enterprise; it is an attempt to broaden ownership when automated capital becomes more important.
The state would finance the initial productive assets. Over time, their earnings would need to cover citizen payments, operating costs, insurance, reserves, maintenance and replacement investment. Independent citizen-wealth organisations would combine elected oversight with professional management. Competition, audited accounts and a common safety fund are intended to limit operational and institutional risks.
The model depends on sufficient demand, reliable technology, affordable energy and competent management. Lower utilisation, higher costs, cyber incidents or technical failures can reduce returns. The calculations in the book test the conditions under which the proposal might work; they are not a prediction or an investment promise.
The two books are currently presented and sold in German. Signed copies can be requested directly from Matthias Heyder. Delivery arrangements are agreed by email.