For me monopolies, even natural ones, are maintained due to power structures in society. If you see most natural monopolies that are privately owned there's usu

For me monopolies, even natural ones, are maintained due to power structures in society. If you see most natural monopolies that are privately owned there's usually a political system that allows that to occur and a well connected powerful actor. AI has the ability to break the one power structure keeping the middle class intact - that being they still technically need people to "think on the ground" to provide the things they want. i.e. output is still a function of labor. AI breaks the need for "labor" to be a required input into the production line long term - i.e. it will no longer be a large economic factor of production. My personal view: AI makes most of the world's population in the long run surplus to requirements for people who own capital, societal power and the planet's scarce resources. That's a form of monopoly.