Anton Leicht argues that policymakers face a consequential choice between two futures for AI and labor: augmentation, where AI enhances worker capabilities, or automation, where it replaces them outright. He contends that protective labor regulations can paradoxically accelerate automation by making legacy firms less competitive while giving automation-focused startups a structural advantage. Leicht proposes that encouraging rapid AI adoption paired with generous worker compensation and strengthened bargaining power is the only viable strategy for keeping the augmentation path open, framing today’s policy choices as decisive for tomorrow’s employment trajectory.
