The author argues that AI may automate tasks but can’t easily unbundle jobs or replace roles that allocate authority and manage conflicts. He shows that when tasks are tied together by unpredictable demand, spillovers, and legal or trust issues, humans retain the dominant share of work and pay.

The article uses the film Alien to illustrate how a dominant employer can trap and underpay workers, calling it a monopsony. It highlights economist Arindrajit Dube’s argument that monopsony power is widespread in modern labor markets and links its rise to declining unions, lower minimum wages, and lax antitrust enforcement. Dube suggests stronger regulations, unions, and wage standards could restore bargaining power and reduce inequality.