Tamay Besiroglu, a renowned AI researcher, has launched a startup called Mechanize that aims to fully automate all work, essentially replacing human labor with AI agents. The company plans to develop the necessary data, evaluations, and virtual environments to achieve this ambitious goal, focusing initially on automating white-collar jobs.
The potential market for automation is vast, with an estimated $18 trillion annually in the US and $60 trillion worldwide. Notable figures like Nat Friedman, Daniel Gross, Patrick Collison, and Jeff Dean have invested in the startup.
However, the launch of Mechanize has sparked intense debate, with critics questioning the implications of widespread labor automation. Concerns include potential job displacement, loss of purchasing power, and questions about whether AI-generated wealth will be equitably distributed.
Mechanize is currently hiring and plans to tackle the technical challenge of making AI agents dependable and able to execute complex plans. The startup's vision is ambitious, but it's not alone in this pursuit, as other companies like Microsoft, Salesforce, and OpenAI are also developing agentic platforms.
