The Promise of Micro Work in a Post-Scarcity World

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In the final section of the book, marks and angles considers what micro work would be like if undertaken outside of the wage relation. The promise that micrework makes of an independent, flexible and leisurely working life, i think should be taken seriously. A post scarcity world would require ople trained in specific vocations, but these specific vocations needn't be their primary occupation or indeed take up all their time. This offers a vision of a world where we each do lots of different jobs and tasks. And while such technology alone cannot make this happen, it can help support more rationally than in capitalism.

Paris Marx is joined by Phil Jones to discuss the hidden microworkers behind supposedly AI-powered automation from major tech companies, how it differs in the Global North and South, and what it means for how we think about the future.

Phil Jones is the author of Work Without the Worker: Labour in the Age of Platform Capitalism and a researcher at Autonomy. Follow Phil on Twitter at @philjones7771.

Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Follow the podcast (@techwontsaveus) and host Paris Marx (@parismarx) on Twitter, and support the show on Patreon.

Find out more about Harbinger Media Network at harbingermedianetwork.com.

Also mentioned in this episode:

Phil wrote about digital piecework for The Guardian and had an excerpt about refugee labor in Rest of World.
Turkopticon helps workers on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk gain some information on the contractors offering tasks on the platform.
In 2020, Gizmodo did surveys to find out about workers’ experiences on Mechanical Turk. There were a lot of horror stories.
In 2014, workers on the platform sent emails to Jeff Bezos to ask for better conditions.

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