The promise of artificial intelligence has always come with a forewarning. While the world marvels at self-driving vehicles and AI-generated art, Joe Rogan is warning us about something more serious—something existential. In a recent podcast episode #2325 with NFL player Aaron Rodgers, Rogan expressed a disturbing concern: as AI and automation rewrite the foundations of work and purpose, society may fall into a trap from which it may never recover. And not in the Terminator, Skynet-machines-killing-humans kind of battle, but something more subtle—a war against human meaning.

For the JRE host, the issue isn’t AI taking control; it’s what happens when it does. As machines become faster, smarter, and better at human jobs, people may find themselves edged out of relevance. “I’m real scared about AI and automation,” Rogan admitted. “Because I think everybody’s pretty much universally in agreement there’s going to come a point in time where some sort of a universal basic income is required.” To him, this is more than just an economic development; it’s an existential loss.

While Aaron Rodgers offered a counterpoint, saying, “That’s not a bad thing, though, I don’t think.” But Rogan went deeper into what he perceives as a psychological cliff edge. “When you’re totally dependent on the state, totally dependent, and you don’t have any meaning anymore—because, like, what are you doing? You’re just waiting for your check all day,” he said. And the data confirms his suspicions raised on the podcast.

According to Goldman Sachs, AI has the potential to displace 300 million jobs globally. McKinsey raised the maximum figure to 800 million by 2030. The World Economic Forum predicts 14 million net employment losses by 2027. These are not hypothetical futures but documented estimates from some of the world’s most reputable institutions. Worse, the majority of these losses will hit industrialized countries first, where the infrastructure to implement UBI already exists.

What does this mean? Only the safety net may arrive quickly, and for many, it will feel like a blessing—until it is not. This is when Joe Rogan’s point becomes philosophical. It isn’t about the economics; it’s about identity. What happens to us if we do not try to prove ourselves, if we do not strive and fail—then learn to rise again? Rogan warned that people could “waste their life,” waiting for a check from the Government or even feel entitled to demand more.

He draws a sharp contrast between those who face a challenge and those who embrace comfort too soon. UBI may cover rent, but it will not provide a purpose for humanity. Joe Rogan’s message is not for today but for decades to come. A culture that prioritizes comfort may forget how to deal with discomfort. The machines might not be coming to destroy us. They might simply convince us to give up. In fact, they have already begun.

Joe Rogan exposes AI bots for manipulating Americans

Joe Rogan’s concerns about AI taking human meaning are not limited to the implementation of Universal Basic Income. If handing out checks dulls the will to strive, subtle manipulation threatens to wipe out the desire to think. The UFC commentator’s warnings go beyond economics to the psychological battleground of digital life. In a recent message, he highlighted a disturbing incident involving AI bots on Reddit—bots designed not to inform but to persuade.

And it’s not as if they were malfunctioning. No, sir, they were completely functional, seemingly with a hidden agenda. Researchers deployed thirteen AI chatbots in a controversial experiment that violated Reddit’s rules and horrified the community. These bots did more than just respond to users; they studied them, gathered personal data, and adjusted responses to influence opinions.

This event was highlighted by the JRE host as a crack in the dam, rather than a one-time error. If a few bots designed for research can fly under the radar and influence conversations, what may thousands of smarter, unseen bots be doing? He asked people to wake up—not to the future, but to the present, which is now slipping through their fingers.

The silence surrounding this revelation adds to its unnerving nature. There are no breaking headlines. No national debate. Just a brief post with a few legal comments and business as usual. However, Joe Rogan sees this as the root of the problem. AI doesn’t have to scream to be dangerous—it just has to whisper in the right ears. What do you think? Do you believe AI is threatening as well? Let us know in the comments.