I'm not sure it matters what we want it to change into? How much influence have you had over past changes? In our economic model pretty much everything is determined by chasing after profit. Look at your gas stations example, economics drove the change and overcame the obstacles. NJ is an anomaly. Economics is driving automation, there is no altruistic goal of freeing humans from mundane labor.

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What does it mean for workers? Growing homelessness, poverty, and depravation. Much more inequality, decimation of the middle class. A two-tiered society, the haves and the have nots. No one is concerned with the serfs being wealthier happier, and healthier.