Andrew Yang says we should stop taxing workers -- and start taxing AI [View all]

Source: Business Insider

Mar 13, 2026, 5:10 AM ET


Andrew Yang says the US is taxing the wrong thing as artificial intelligence begins to reshape the labor market. "You tend to tax things that you want to discourage, that you want less of," the Forward Party founder and former presidential candidate said in an interview on CNBC's Squawk Box on Wednesday.

As AI systems replace human tasks, he said, "we should actually try to stop taxing labor." Instead, Yang believes companies benefiting most from automation should shoulder more of the tax burden.

He pointed to Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei's warning last year that AI could automate up to 50% of entry-level white-collar jobs within the next five years — and to Amodei's suggestion that AI firms themselves should be taxed.

"Since when does the CEO of a major company raise his hand and say, 'Hey, tax me and mine'?" Yang said, adding that tech leaders "see the writing on the wall" and understand a backlash could be coming.

Read more: https://www.businessinsider.com/andrew-yang-says-stop-taxing-workers-start-taxing-ai-2026-3