Interestingly, every time the topic of automated/pilotless commercial aircraft pops up there is an assumption that this would achieved in a single step.
Surely before any such radical changes are even considered, a protracted period of single pilot operation would be required to validate the viability and safety of pilotless operation.
Whilst I am sure that even today’s technology could indeed support automated flight, aviation authority acceptance and more importantly passenger acceptance is a long, long way away.
Whether people such as Carruthers like it or not, thankfully pilots are here to stay for at least our lifetimes.