automation under capitalism typically makes many people's lives worse without really benefiting anyone, and likewise with most work, which would be superfluous if it wasn't harmful. in my opinion AI is completely necessary to have a post-scarcity society, and I would not be surprised if the means of production were sufficient even in the 90s in advanced countries. the issue is that countries with resources are not oriented towards bringing such a change about, and those handful of states which are oriented in this direction are too poor, fearful conservative, or ignorant to even try.