There is no argument 'for' automation other then for chief pilots not wanting to deal with high time pilot attitude. That's it. So they cull for scared FOs that will push buttons and stay scared, controlled, always listening to the captain, always taking orders.
Nothing scares a chief pilot more then some 10,000 hour pilot calling him on his bull****, especially as another jackscrew mishap, or one of his robots adjusting the seat takes out out a plane load of people.
What pisses me off is that the FAA is in on it.