Are AI agents our industry's industrial robots?

Yes, and it goes back even further than the article - it's the modern industrial revolution complete with Luddites.

People are afraid of change, that's natural. When the technology beds in, becomes mature, and is accessible by those threatened by it we'll have acceptance.

Until then we have "AI slop" which is the equivalent of "it'll never be as good as handmade" because the worst AI examples are being compared to the best human examples.

When we work with, and improve the standard of the technology, we'll ultimately produce a better society, and have better outputs, but that stage is still to come.