Basic Income UK

This is a really interesting take from Falmouth University on AI and creative work — and it connects directly to something we’ve been discussing around basic income.

The key point they make is that AI has been introduced into the creative sector through an industrial lens: efficiency, optimisation, cutting labour costs. That framing treats creatives as interchangeable workers in a production pipeline, rather than people shaping culture.

But creativity doesn’t work like that.

It comes from experimentation, curiosity, misuse of tools, and human experience. And that takes time, space, and a degree of security.

That’s the bit that often gets missed.

If artists are constantly under financial pressure — juggling insecure work, chasing short-term gigs, or adapting to platform demands — it becomes much harder to take risks or develop new ideas. You end up with more repetition, not more innovation.

Which is why the Irish Basic Income for the Arts pilot is so relevant here.

When artists were given a guaranteed income:

they spent more time on creative work
produced more
engaged more with audiences
and their wellbeing improved

And importantly, it delivered a positive return overall.

So maybe the real question isn’t just how creatives “adapt to AI”, but what conditions we create for them to do meaningful work in the first place.

If we want new cultural forms to emerge, we need to support the people creating them — not just the tools they use.

Worth a read 👇

AI and the creative process: what it means for artists and their cultural value From digital skills to accredited short courses we run a range of courses to up-skill your workforce and keep them at the top of their game.

A useful, evidence-based explanation of Universal Basic Income from Harvard Kennedy School, drawing on long-term real-world data.

The key takeaway is simple:

When people have a secure income floor, outcomes improve.

More young people finish school
Mental health improves
Participation in society (including voting) increases
And importantly — there’s no major drop in work

This isn’t about “free money” — it’s about what happens when you reduce the pressure of poverty.

UBI → income floor → better life outcomes → stronger participation

And that has wider knock-on effects:

Stronger unions → workers have real bargaining power
4-day week → people can reduce hours without financial crisis
Universal Basic Services → cash + services working together
Proportional representation → more engaged, active citizens
Green transition → people have stability during economic change

It’s not one policy vs another — it’s about how these pieces work together to create a fairer, more resilient economy.

Evidence matters. This is what it looks like.

Harvard professor explains the basics of universal income Through a series of longitudinal studies, Professor Randall Kekoa Akee looked at the impact of a Tribal casino’s universal basic income (UBI) payments to the...

An introduction to Basic Income — from 1991.

This film was produced by the Basic Income Research Group (now known as the Citizen’s Basic Income Trust) and introduced by broadcaster Jenni Murray. It offers a fascinating snapshot of how UBI was being discussed over 30 years ago.

What stands out is how familiar many of the themes still feel today: economic security, changing work, inequality, and the role of the state.

The film features a range of influential UK thinkers and advocates, including Malcolm Torry, Ralf Dahrendorf, Hermione Parker and others, reflecting on what a basic income could mean in practice.

It’s a useful reminder that UBI isn’t a new idea — but one that keeps resurfacing as the economy changes.

Worth watching, especially in the context of today’s debates around AI, work and income security.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTOihST608w

An introduction to Basic Income (UBI in 1991) This film was produced by the Basic income Research Group - now known as Citizen's Basic Income Trust. It was introduced by the broadcaster Jenni Murray and ...