The haves and the have-nots

I just had a disturbing thought:

What happens when everything becomes so automated that the only decent jobs are running the automations, maintaining the automations and improving on the automations? The majority of people won't have the skills or education level required to be employed in those jobs, even if the majority of people could be employed in those jobs, there wouldn't be enough vacancies... What happens to the vast majority of the earth's population then?

I'm sure there are dissertations on the subject, various angles to approach it from and everything's been covered, nothing new under the sun, what have you, but since I don't have time to read dissertations and I don't keep up with much of what's out there, and since it's a brand new thought to me, seeing as I'm generally concerned and very busy with much more at-hand issues :), I had to put it out there as soon as it came up. :)

Selah.

Somehow, that came up when thinking of how not being able to figure out how to transfer my KLM flight miles via their site led me to their phone number, which led me to using Skype to call the 800 number in the States, which led me to a series of options all of which required voice choice, instead of the usual "pick a number", which made me wonder if voice is more automated or enables handicapped users, or both, which system I tricked by not choosing any of the options, since they were unapplicable, and saying "operator", to see where it would get me, which got me to a live, though crackly-sounding, person, who then put me through to another automated number, which automatically informed me opening hour began in another 2 hours.

Then I mused that they'll never be able to replace the person, because humans are unpredictable and a machine can't deal with "operator", when it isn't an option, or any other random thing a human might do. Or they could, but the result would be a loss of business.

Note to KLM: Your self-service-only approach in your main airport hub, with no real-people option available, does not inspire exhausted people who have been traveling for 24 hours and just need someone to figure it out with/for them because they can't see or even stand up straight, to fly with you again. On the other hand, if you keep offering such good prices and in-flight service, we will comply and become the automatons you desire us to be. When you're big and powerful, you reserve the right. Apparently.

Somehow, I feel forced.