Genetically engineered, properly “educated”, politically controlled, and brain washed humans would be far more useful than electromechanical robots we can build any time soon. This too is a common scifi trope.

And it’s true. Industries have shown time and again that they’d rather send the work to paupers’ hands in countries without rather than automate to metals hands within.

>And it’s true. Industries have shown time and again that they’d rather send the work to paupers’ hands in countries without rather than automate

I disagree, to the point I'd say the statement is nearly false.

You have to look at what the 'expensive' point of the work is.

In some cases it's electricity, those things generally don't get sent overseas, but instead are highly automated.

In some cases it's waste by product. Those get sent to countries where they don't care if you dump it and poison it.

In some cases it's proximity to other manufacturing of parts you need.

In some cases it's cheap labor without the need for paying healthcare.

Are you suggesting high tech manufacturing moves to china because of cheap electricity?

Surely it was for the cheap labor regardless of how it was achieved.

No, the opposite that there is a considerable amount of automated manufacturing in the US because electricity is cheap.