Why is basic income being debated?

The central question explored is why basic income is currently being debated, despite decades of discussion and testing. The discussion highlights the Irish government's Basic Income for the Arts pilot scheme, providing regular cash payments to artists to ease income instability and support creativity, which has shown promising economic returns. Various forms of basic income are examined, including unconditional basic income, with examples from experiments in Finland and the US. The potential impact of AI and automation on employment is a key driver of the renewed interest, with some, like Daron Acemoglu, warning against UBI as a surrender to job displacement, while others see it as a necessary adaptation. The global perspective reveals that basic income implementation may be easier in the Global South, with ongoing pilots in Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, and Brazil.