It takes about 5 people to run a whole automated factory. The design and development is where the real money is. Let the assembly go to the lowest bidder.
Even with automation, it takes a lot more than five people to run an electronics manufacturing operation. I know first-hand; I supported one earlier in my career.
I'm confident that's true but looking into the future, I can't imagine the trend is going to be more people in automated facilities making more money. This is a transient state. The future is basically full automation in manufacturing facilities with zero humans. We need to design society around that instead of pining for the good old days of banging away at metal with a hammer for money.
Hyperbolically, this is turning America into a renaissance faire as a make work project.
Barring some disaster that sets humanity back significantly progress will accelerate. There will be a point where most people can't keep up, maybe there will be cybernetic modifications to learn faster. I think there will have to be a new form of economy to support people because already we are straining to assign resources efficiency in the US.
