[shswkna]

This perspective or line of argumentation does strike an intuitive chord with me.

There is a difference between being able to leverage AI to accomplish more than without it, and merely outsourcing intelligence and knowledge to the AI and effectively becoming complacent (which as you say, the 99% will end up doing).

My bet is on AI causing equality to worsen, unless there is a major political will to counter this with policy.

IMO such policies will need to provide both carrot (equalizing measures) and stick (lessening the options for the 99% to become complacent).

EDIT: There is a third route that could play out. Leveraging AI or “teaming up” could be equivalent to a faustian pact, because of the nonzero possibility of AI to develop their own goals and agency.