[shmageggy]

While there are certainly many factors contributing to the growth of inequality, it is fairly well established that automation has contributed heavily. There has been a ton written about this so I won’t bother citing here, but googling “automation and inequality” is a start

[visarga]

Yes, inequality goes up, but standards of living for the poorest also go up, the number of people in poverty goes down and most benefit is seen for people in the undeveloped economies. US population didn't decrease poverty rate in the last 4 decades, but that's because US rate was already very low.

What is happening here is enrichment by technological transfer. You can't copy research money but you can copy good ideas and buy the latest technology directly. Jobless people of the future will have incredible empowerment of this kind, maybe they don't need UBI, they need help to help themselves.

https://i.imgur.com/QFPRlYe.png

[InspiredIdiot]

Increases in the standard of living are providing marginal gains to happiness. Happiness correlates with equality, not with income. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21841151/