DP12238 Should Robots Be Taxed?

Author(s):	Joao Guerreiro, Sérgio Rebelo, Pedro Teles
Publication Date:	August 2017
Date Revised:	December 2020
Keyword(s):	automation, inequality, optimal taxation, robots
JEL(s):	H21, O33
Programme Areas:	Public Economics, Macroeconomics and Growth
Link to this Page:	cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=12238

We use a model of automation to show that with the current U.S. tax system, a fall in automation costs could lead to a massive rise in income inequality. This inequality can be reduced by raising marginal income tax rates and taxing robots. But this solution involves a substantial efficiency loss for the reduced level of inequality. A Mirrleesian optimal income tax can reduce inequality at a smaller efficiency cost, but is difficult to implement. An alternative approach is to amend the current tax system to include a lump-sum rebate. In our model, with the rebate in place, it is optimal to tax robots only when there is partial automation.