The Article Tells the Story of:
- Mechanize, a new startup by AI expert Tamay Besiroglu, which plans to automate all work using AI agents.
- A bold mission that’s raising ethical questions and backlash on social media.
- Concerns that this move may compromise the reputation of the AI research group Epoch.
- Arguments over whether full automation will benefit or harm the global workforce.
Mechanize: A Startup That Wants to Replace All Human Work
Tamay Besiroglu, a well-known AI researcher, has launched a startup called Mechanize. His announcement caused instant backlash online. The reason? Mechanize’s goal is to fully automate the economy by building AI agents that can perform all human jobs. Yes, all of them.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Besiroglu said the startup aims for “the full automation of all work” and “the full automation of the economy.” In simple terms, the company wants AI agents to eventually replace human labor across all industries.
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Mechanize plans to achieve this by creating the data, testing systems, and virtual environments needed to train AI agents to perform any job. The project focuses on replacing white-collar work first—jobs that involve thinking, writing, or organizing tasks rather than physical labor.
Besiroglu calculated Mechanize’s potential market by totaling the money paid to workers. He said American workers earn around $18 trillion per year. Globally, that number jumps to over $60 trillion. That’s the market Mechanize wants to tap into.
Critics Question Ethics and Impact
The public response was immediate and heated. Many people expressed shock that someone known for studying the effects of AI on society would lead such a company. Epoch, Besiroglu’s research institute, had built a reputation for neutral, fact-based analysis. That image took a hit after the Mechanize announcement.
One director at Epoch even posted, “Yay just what I wanted for my bday: a comms crisis.”
Critics worry that Mechanize’s mission damages Epoch’s credibility. They argue that it raises concerns about whether the institute’s research was truly unbiased—or if it was quietly guiding the development of AI agents all along.
Social media users shared their disappointment. One said, “Huge respect for the founders’ work at Epoch, but sad to see this.” Another user implied this confirms fears that Epoch was helping advance the very automation it was supposed to monitor.
Who’s Backing Mechanize?
Despite the criticism, Mechanize has secured funding from well-known names in tech and investing. Backers include Nat Friedman, Daniel Gross, Patrick Collison, Dwarkesh Patel, Jeff Dean, Sholto Douglas, and Marcus Abramovitch.
Abramovitch, a crypto hedge fund partner, confirmed his involvement. He said the team behind Mechanize has a deep understanding of AI and a track record of thoughtful analysis. However, not all backers responded to media requests.
Will AI Agents Help or Hurt?
Besiroglu believes Mechanize’s work will help humanity. He says fully automated labor will bring faster growth, higher living standards, and goods we haven’t yet imagined. He insists that AI agents doing all the work could create abundance, not unemployment.
He also argues that people can earn money from other sources in an AI-run economy. That includes stock dividends, property income, or welfare programs. But critics say this view ignores a big problem: if people lose their jobs, how will they afford to live, even with lower prices?
Besiroglu says some human workers will become more valuable in roles AI can’t perform. But his core idea still pushes for agents to eventually take over all labor.
The Tech Problem: AI Agents Still Don’t Work Well
While the mission sounds bold, Besiroglu admits AI agents still fall short. They can’t remember details across tasks, don’t follow long-term instructions, and often fail to complete assignments as intended. In short, they’re unreliable.
Major companies are also working on agent systems. Salesforce, Microsoft, and OpenAI are all building platforms that use AI agents. Startups focused on specific areas like sales or financial analysis are trying to improve agent tools too. So while Mechanize isn’t alone, its all-or-nothing goal stands out.
What’s Next?
Besiroglu says Mechanize is hiring. He’s looking for people who can help fix the problems current agents face. He wants to build the systems that make full automation possible. Whether that excites or alarms people depends on how they view AI.
Mechanize presents a major challenge to how society thinks about work. It sparks questions that go beyond tech: What is the value of a job? Can automation really help everyone? Or will it widen the gap between those who build AI and those who are replaced by it?
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