Because history is cyclic.

Automation is a repeat of the industrial revolution almost. I would say both are part of a greater period we'll call mechanisation or computerisation.

Factorys, machines and engineering replaced vast swathes of the labour force way back when, causing huge social upheaval and instigating huge cultural change.

We're going through the same thing again but with the blue collar industries.

Automation is important because it's adoption will cause the same thing again, the impact it will have will probably be even larger than the industrial revolution.

Think of it this way, soon, every bottom line job that realistically doesn't require much creative thought will be replaced with AI. That's every administration, low level management, customer service, retail, warehouse, manual labour and just about any other job you can think of could be potentially gone with no need for human replacement.

Right now it serves to benefit our economy, but with current social views and culture it could have a hugely damning effect on the working and middle classes.