Interesting topic. Was involved in the incorporation of a "state of the art" air traffic management system a few years ago. This system was supposed to revolutionise the way ATC was being delivered and the way the information was displayed and manipulated. In short it didn't work very well and I hear, still doesn't work that well!!! The system was designed by engineers with all the things that they thought would be good for controller's with little or no input from controller's themselves and when challenged as to the usefulness of the equipment, the engineers just told us that we didn't understand and really had no credibility to criticise these groundbreaking improvements.
There will always be a role for a controller as far as I can see although we might be able to log-on at home and do the job!! Interesting aside was driving home last night after a couple of beers with a colleague who has just checked-out in a Terminal specialty at the ripe old age of 21....... got me thinking about this topic and wondering what changes he will see throuhgout his career.