A task-based approach to inequality

The task-based framework provides product directors with a rigorous way to think about what automation actually does: it doesn't just replace workers, it reallocates tasks between humans and machines. The key insight is that automation always reduces labour's share of value, but creating new human-intensive tasks can counterbalance this effect. For product direction this framework clarifies a strategic question: when you automate part of a workflow, are you also creating new tasks that require human judgment, creativity, or relationship-building? The paper's evidence on the last 30 years suggests we've been better at automating tasks than creating new ones, leading to wage stagnation and inequality. Understanding this dynamic helps product leaders make more thoughtful choices about where to apply AI and how to design human-machine collaboration.