  The effects of automation on our economy and society are more palpable than
ever, with nearly half of jobs at risk of being fully executed by machines over
the next decade or two. Policymakers and scholars alike have championed the
Universal Basic Income (UBI) as a catch-all solution to this problem. This
paper examines the shortcomings of UBI in addressing the automation-led
large-scale displacement of labor by analyzing empirical data from previous
UBI-comparable experiments and presenting theoretical projections that
highlight disappointing impacts of UBI in the improvement of relevant living
standards and employability metrics among pensioners. Finally, a recommendation
shall be made for the retainment of existing means-tested welfare programs
while bolstering funding and R&D for more up-to-date worker training schemes as
a more effective solution to technological unemployment.
