When I was a freshman engineering student back in 1977, I took a course that explored the future of engineering and society. The personal computer hadn't been invented yet, but we were seeing the first hand calculators with basic programming capability. Our professor was very liberal, and he talked of a future eutopia where machines displaced humans in manual labor and unskilled labor jobs, leaving free time for everyone to pursue more leisure activities.
I got two Bs on the way to graduating with my BSME, and one was in that course. I got into a discussion with the professor regarding where the money was going to come from if most jobs were replaced by robots. He said it would be up to society and the government to take care of people's basic needs. I stated that the government got its funding from taxpayers, and if nobody was working who was paying the taxes. He indicated that corporate taxes would fund this eutopian society. It was useless arguing with the guy, it was obvious he had never worked outside of the university in his whole life.
I know we're moving more in that direction, but the basic question still stands. When computers, robots, and AI replace humans, who is going to provide living funds for those displaced. Idle minds and hands will cause a lot of problems. We're already hearing some talk about "basic income" and "wealth inequality", the forces currently at work will only make those matters worse.
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