Public Services & Social Safety Net

As co-leader of DOGE, Musk engineered the largest peacetime federal workforce reduction on record. Federal rolls fell by over 270,000 workers, with government payroll down 9% (from 3.015 million to 2.744 million). Methods included: 'Fork in the Road' deferred resignation program (75,000 accepted), mass firing of 200,000 probationary employees, and 17,000 reduction-in-force terminations. OMB Director Russell Vought stated the goal was for bureaucrats to be 'traumatically affected' and 'wake up in the morning not wanting to go to work.'

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak criticized Trump and Elon Musk's DOGE mass firings and treatment of Ukraine, calling them 'bullies.' He said 'If you're in school, the bully is going to force their way on the little guy' and added about Musk: 'Sometimes you get so rich at these big companies, and you're on top — it goes to your head.'

Khosla repeatedly stated that AI will be able to do 80% of 80% of all jobs by 2030, affecting roles from doctors to farm workers. Rather than dismissing the disruption, he advocated for Universal Basic Income and proposed the U.S. government take a 10% stake in all public corporations to redistribute wealth. He published 'AI: Dystopia or Utopia?' arguing that policy choices around UBI and wealth redistribution will determine whether AI benefits humanity. He acknowledged the 10-25 year transition 'could be very messy.'

Sam Altman funded OpenResearch's Unconditional Cash Study, the largest UBI pilot in the United States. Beginning in 2020, 3,000 participants in Illinois and Texas received $1,000 monthly for three years, representing a 40% boost to recipients' incomes. The study published peer-reviewed findings in 2024. Altman has publicly argued that AI-driven job displacement may necessitate universal basic income, and in 2021 proposed that AI could generate enough wealth to pay every US adult $13,500 per year.

In May 2022, Brian Chesky pledged $100 million over five years to the Obama Foundation to launch a scholarship program for students pursuing careers in public service. Chesky joined the Giving Pledge in 2016, committing to donate majority of his wealth.

In August 2021, Alex Karp personally donated $180,000 to David Lidstone, an 81-year-old New Hampshire hermit known as 'River Dave,' whose cabin burned down while he was in jail for squatting. This was described as Karp keeping 'philanthropy low-key' and represented an unusual personal charitable action.

In an April 2020 CNBC interview that went viral, Palihapitiya argued that the U.S. should not bail out billionaires and hedge funds during the coronavirus pandemic, instead advocating for direct support to consumers and workers. He also called for universal basic income as a pandemic response, saying the U.S. had 'ripped the philosophical band-aid off' on direct payments. The interview was widely praised for challenging conventional Wall Street bailout narratives during a crisis.

In 2020, Brian Chesky personally donated $10 million to nonprofit organizations supporting frontline healthcare and essential workers during the coronavirus pandemic.

Patrick Collison and economist Tyler Cowen created Fast Grants in March 2020, raising over $50 million from tech leaders including Jack Dorsey, Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Mark Zuckerberg, and Eric Schmidt. The program provided funding to scientists within days rather than months, dramatically accelerating COVID research.

Naval Ravikant has publicly opposed universal basic income and direct democracy wealth redistribution, stating: 'A basic income plus a direct democracy would essentially lead to a complete economic collapse into socialism, because the moment that the bottom 51 percent figures out they can vote themselves all the money from the top 49 percent, that's what happens.' His philosophy emphasizes individual skill-building and technology leverage over systemic wealth redistribution mechanisms.

On June 11, 2016, Brian Chesky became one of the youngest signatories of The Giving Pledge, Warren Buffett and Bill Gates' initiative where billionaires commit to giving away at least half their wealth. At 34 years old, Chesky stated he wanted the pledge to be more than 'a bunch of old people.'